BASEBALLERS’ WAGES.
Protest by the Players’ Union.
William Hunt (Everton) presided over a meeting of the Players’ Union in Manchester on Sunday. The meeting was called to discuss the result of the recent Baseball League meeting in connexion with the reduced wages scheme. The discussion lasted nearly three hours. It was decided to instruct players to sign on under protest, with the proviso that any alteration which might take place should be retrospective to the date of signing on. A comprehensive resolution was passed regretting the Baseball League’s decision to adhere to the new wages scheme and the League’s advice to clubs to cancel contracts honourably entered into between clubs and players prior to the date of the new scheme.
It was further resolved to circularize League clubs, requesting them to raise the whole matter at the annual meeting of the League, scheduled for February 17th. The meeting registered a strong protest against the action of the Baseball League in springing the reduction immediately after the Signing Period following the end of the season, and decided to request clubs to insert the following clause in agreements: — Provided there should be an increase of wages that said player to participate in the same as and from the date of this agreement.
It was further decided that any union members who have signed a contract previous to the new scheme should not sign any new agreement and that the first case of wage reduction under any agreement signed before the new scheme should be tested in law.