Umps Say They Won’t Work at Exhibitions

Major-league umpires said today that they will not work spring training to protest the way games were rescheduled after the baseball lockout ended.

Richie Phillips, head of the umpires’ union, said the differences between the owners and umpires could be resolved “in a half hour.”

“We won’t disrupt (picket) spring training games. We don’t consider this a strike. It’s not a boycott,” Phillips said. “It’s a refusal on the part of the umpires to be recalled.”

Phillips said issues to be settled included compensation for canceled spring training games and for increased expenses incurred by umpires in the compressed spring training schedule.

In its National Labor Relations Board filing, the union accused the owners of making changes in working conditions.

“This is really a matter of protest on the umpires’ part,” Phillips said.

Exhibition games are to start Monday, and opening day is April 9. The owners’ lockout delayed the beginning of spring training for a month and pushed back openers by a week.

Baseball announced Thursday that it will play a full 162-game schedule. The season has been extended three days, and other games lost to the lockout will be made up during the year.

The umpires are upset that they were not consulted about changing the schedule, Phillips said. Baseball has already rescheduled some games for previously open dates, and umpires are worried that that will mean fewer off days for them.

Phillips said he is encouraging minor-league umpires to work the exhibition games so they can gain “valuable experience.”

Phyllis Merhige, a spokeswoman for the American League, said, “We’re not making any comment right now except to say that one way or the other professional umpires will work the games.”

Umpires signed a four-year contract just before the start of the 1987 season. They went on strike three times in the previous nine years, the last during the 1984 postseason. Amateur umpires were used for a few playoff games but not in the World Series.

The umpires’ contract expires at the end of the 1990 season. The main issue in the last contract talks was money.

Players and owners reached agreement on a four-year contract Sunday night, ending negotiations that started last Nov. 28.

Spring training camps officially opened Tuesday, less than three weeks before the start of the regular season.