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104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 397

To apply arbitration to major league baseball, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 4, 1995

Mr. WILLIAMS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities

A BILL

To apply arbitration to major league baseball, and for other

purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Major League Play

5 Ball Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

7 It is the purpose of this Act to encourage serious ne8 gotiations between the major league baseball players and

9 the owners of major league baseball, to prevent the contin10 ued economic loss to individuals not involved in the nego11 tiations whose livelihood depends on baseball being played,
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1 to prevent ongoing losses to those communities that host

2 major league baseball, to preserve major and minor league

3 baseball, and to resolve the dispute between the players

4 and owners.

5 SEC. 3. ARBITRATION.

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Effective February 1, 1995, the

7 dispute between the owners of major league baseball and

8 the labor organization representing the players of major

9 league baseball shall be subject to binding arbitration by

10 the arbitration board established under subsection (b).

11 (b) ARBITRATION BOARD.—

12 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—For purposes of sub13 section (a), there is established an arbitration board

14 which shall consist of—

15 (A) one representative of the owners of

16 major league baseball selected by such owners,

17 (B) one representative of the major league

18 baseball player’s association selected by such

19 association, and

20 (C) one individual to be selected in accord21 ance with the procedures of the American Arbi22 tration Association or procedures otherwise

23 agreed to by the parties.

24 The board shall convene February 1, 1995 to resolve

25 all issues not resolved by the parties.
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1 (2) AUTHORITY.—The board shall have the

2 power to take testimony under oath, to conduct

3 hearings, and to issue subpoenas for books and

4 records. The parties appearing before the board may

5 be represented by counsel.

6 (3) DECISION.—The board shall select between

7 the final offer of each party which may be submitted

8 before the close of the hearing held under paragraph

9 (2). The board shall consider the following in select10 ing the most appropriate offer—

11 (A) the unique legal status of major league

12 baseball,

13 (B) the history of collective bargaining

14 agreements between the parties,

15 (C) the changes in circumstances of the

16 parties,

17 (D) the owner’s ability to pay,

18 (E) the best interests of baseball, and

19 (F) other factors considered by arbitration

20 panels if applicable given the history of major

21 league baseball and past collective bargaining

22 between the parties.

23 The board shall render a decision on March 15,

24 1995, which shall be final, binding, and replace the
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1 basic agreement between the parties which expired

2 on December 31, 1993.

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