Lawsuit against low Minor League wages a step closer

A year ago, I wrote about the starvation wages in Minor League Baseball. Depending on the level the players play at, they “earn”an average of $2,500 and are paid $7,500 or less for a season of work. Only the season that is. Spring Training and instructional leagues like the Arizona Fall League are excluded from the pay.

Now a  a federal magistrate has granted preliminary class-action status. This means that a group of former minor league players can file a lawsuit against 22 of the 30 MLB clubs. This group claims that MLB  fails to meet minimum-wage requirements with a pay scale that begins at $1,000 a month and rises to $2,150 at Triple-A. That level of pay is unlawful, rendering the uniform player contract void. (Though the lawsuit is about MiLB contracts for players, Minor League Baseball is not a party in the lawsuit; the Office of the Commissioner and 22 MLB teams are named parties.).

The former MiLB players claim that the low pay, mandatory overtime and lack of collective bargaining rights do not meet state and federal wage laws.

Teams excluded from the lawsuit: Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals.

Things may vary from team to team. Recently I spoke to a Dutch player who was traded to another organization. He claimed that with Spring Training, the Minor League players got a flex fit cap and if they wanted a 59/50 cap of New Era, they had to pay for it. The team that he came from, provided everything, including the fitted on-field-caps.

If a lawsuit will have the outcome that the former MiLB players want, this may have a huge effect on the PDC’s between the Minor League clubs and MLB parent organizations. It may very well be that if the MLB organizations have to pay federal or state regulated minimum wages, they may demand bigger financial contributions for player development.

It remains to be seen if there really will be a lawsuit, since the lawyers of MLB will do everything possible to block this lawsuit. But this case is a very interesting one and is worth to keep an eye on.