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Umpires find union membership pricey

NEW YORK - The umpires' failed resignation strategy is costing 22 of them their jobs, and all are paying for it.

Umpires are charged 25 percent more per person in union fees than players, according to federal disclosure documents.

In 1998, it came to an average of $5,756 for each of the 66 members of the umpires union, according to a form filed in April with the U.S. Department of Labor.

The union imposes annual dues of $500 per member, plus a $1,000 initiation fee, collecting a total of $28,000 last year. In addition, umpires paid their union $351,922 in special assessments.

In reality, however, they never pay a cent because the money they accrue from the union's licensing program is more than 10 times the amount they owe in dues. That enables them to cover their multimillion-dollar legal fees for collective bargaining.

While umpires make $95,000 to $282,500 annually, according to seniority, player salaries range from $200,000 to $11.9 million this year.

The bulk of the umpires' money appears to be going to their legal team, headed by Richie Phillips. The union lists no employees, but paid $406,293 last year in professional fees, which were listed as expenses and reimbursements. That was up from $377,900 in 1997.

As of Jan. 1, the union had $94.63 in assets.

''I've asked for the records. I've asked, in written form, for the expenditures, but have received no response,'' said AL umpire Dave Phillips, one of the umps opposed to the union leadership.

''Even some of these people who are board members haven't been invited to participate,'' said Dave Phillips, who is not related to the union leader. ''If you're one of Richie's guys, in his comfort zone, you get that information. If you're not, you get absolutely zero. That's one of the big, big issues.''

While the form did not say to whom the professional fees were paid, Richie Phillips and two lawyers on his staff, Pat Campbell and Bob Opalka, have done most of the legal work for umpires in recent years.

Richie Phillips could not be reached to comment on the disclosure forms, according to a member of his staff.

''The amount of money our law firm earns from the Major League Umpires Association is privileged,'' Campbell said Saturday. ''The major league umpires have other professionals, including accountants who prepare tax returns. There are other expenses of the Major League Umpires Association in addition to attorney fees.''

Union president Jerry Crawford, an NL umpire, said Dave Phillips had been given a full accounting of union money for the past 12-15 years but was not provided a copy of the federal filing.

''It's public record. We don't have to give him a copy of anything,'' Crawford said.

In the wake of their failed resignation strategy, umpires hired a major New York labor law firm, Cohen, Weiss and Simon, and that figures to cause a marked increase in special assessments for this year, which has raised questions among the umpires who oppose Richie Phillips.

In an Aug. 19 letter to umpires accompanying a position paper filed with the National Labor Relations Board outlining unfair labor practice charges against owners, Richie Phillips said ''at least 10 labor lawyers exhausted hundreds of hours of research in developing this document.''

''We have a lot of concerns, but the major concern is getting everybody their job back,'' Campbell said.

Lawyers at major New York law firms bill $200 an hour and up, meaning legal work costs a minimum of $20,000 for each 100 hours.

''I have a bill,'' Crawford said. ''When it's all said and done, we will figure it out. Right now, everybody's willing to bite the bullet. If we win, it's worth it.''

While players are able to spread their costs over 750-plus union members, umpires are a much smaller group, raising the amount each individual must pay.

''I'm sure that's what the leagues are counting on,'' Crawford said. ''I think it's worth it. You have to take a shot at it.''