(The Associated Press circulated the following story by M.R. Kropko on March 24.)
CLEVELAND — The union representing Major League Baseball umpires is exploring whether to affiliate with the Teamsters Union.
Dominic Tocco, president of Teamsters Local 416 in Cleveland, said he is one of three organizers planning to meet Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., with members of the World Umpires Association, which he said represents 68 umpires.
Tocco said he has been meeting with umpires union President John Hirschbeck on whether the group could form a Teamsters local or otherwise affiliate with the 1.4 million-member union. The two are neighbors in a Youngstown suburb.
Telephone messages seeking comment were left Tuesday for Hirschbeck, WUA legal counsel Larry Gibson and management lawyer Rob Manfred.
Tocco said Hirschbeck probably would not be at the meeting because of another obligation, but umpires Tim Tschida and Jeff Nelson were expected to attend along with a WUA adviser.
Tschida, who is an association member but not an officer, declined to discuss the reason for the meeting. “We’re just having lunch,” Tschida said. “To be honest, any of this is all premature. There is nothing to report yet.”
Tocco said the umpires would be a high-profile affiliation for the Teamsters. He said the umpires’ association requested the meeting.
“I think what they are looking for is just for someone, like the Teamsters, to help them negotiate, or if one of their members would have a grievance we would take that over or at least give them a hand in that situation,” Tocco said.
The umpires’ contract with Major League Baseball runs through Dec. 31.
The WUA was certified by the National Labor Relations Board on Feb. 24, 2000, as the bargaining agent for MLB umpires. The WUA replaced umpire Richie Phillips’ Major League Umpires Association as the bargaining agent for umpires.