Labor Impasse Postpones Code of Conduct Summit

With major league owners and players facing a 9 p.m. PST deadline tonight for resolving their impasse on the proposed labor agreement, a code of conduct summit scheduled for Friday in Phoenix to address on-field behavior in the aftermath of the incident in which Roberto Alomar spit at umpire John Hirschbeck was postponed Wednesday.

“Everybody understands that the labor issue is a top priority,” acting Commissioner Bud Selig said. However, with owners having rejected the proposed agreement and Selig purportedly looking for a creative way to deal with the union’s refusal to renegotiate key provisions in the agreement, Selig made no contact with union leader Donald Fehr on Wednesday.

“Just look at the basic facts,” Fehr said. “He delayed in every way he could before taking a vote. He led the repudiation of his own negotiator. He pulled what was nothing more than a PR stunt by walking in [to the union offices] and asking for a renegotiation, then immediately flew back to Milwaukee. Why should I expect him to call?”