Bargaining with Baseball: Labor Relations in an Age of Prosperous Turmoil

William B. Gould IV

Jan 2014 · McFarland

About this ebook

In 1995, William B. Gould IV, then chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, cast the deciding vote to obtain the injunction that ended the longest strike in baseball history. Sixteen years of peaceful relations between baseball labor and management have followed, as well as unprecedented prosperity in a relationship that had just endured 30 years of strikes and lockouts. This study, which clearly illustrates the practical impact of law on America's pastime, considers the 140-year sweep of labor-management relationships and conflict, exploring player-owner disputes, the development of free agency, the collective bargaining process, and the racial integration of baseball, among other topics. It concludes with a discussion of the "steroids era," the problem with maintaining Jackie Robinson's legacy in the 21st century, and globalization.

About the author

William B. Gould IV is an emeritus professor at Stanford Law School and served as chairman of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from 1994 to 1998. He arbitrated the 1992 and 1993 salary disputes between the Major League Baseball Players Association and the Major League Baseball Player Relations Committee. As NLRB chairman, he played a critical role in bringing the 1994-1995 baseball strike to an end.