From the New Britain Herald’s Ken Lipshez.
The Rock Cats were notified early Tuesday that the striking minor league umpires union had ratified a new six-year collective bargaining agreement and will return to work on or before Monday’s game.
The new pact increases salaries by $100 per month and daily meal-money allowance by $3 a day. The union – Association of Minor League Umpires – rejected a similar deal a month ago. Salaries in the Eastern League average out at about $12,000 over the 5½ months of the season, according to the umpires.
Umps had said their salaries previously averaged $15,000 at Triple-A, $12,000 at Double-A, $10,000 in full-season A-ball and $5,500 in rookie leagues.
As part of the new deal, per diems rise $3 to $28 at Triple-A, $25 at Double-A and $23 at Class A. They will rise gradually to $40 at Triple-A in 2011, $35 at Double-A and $30 at Class A.
In the meantime, the incalculable damage done to the careers of Delmon Young and Tim Ireland won’t be redressed.