Baseball players to unionize for better treatment

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's professional baseball players said
Tuesday they will unionize to legally protect their interests, a move analysts
fear may dampen the sport that is beginning to build popularity in the country.
"South Korean baseball gained a world-class reputation after reaching the finals
of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March. But the environment that our
players are in has not changed," Son Min-han, president of the Korea Professional
Baseball Players' Association (KPBPA), told reporters at a press conference in
downtown Seoul.
"Our demands to start negotiations for players' interests have been ignored by
the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Now is the time for establishing a union
based on the current laws."
The KPBPA was launched in 2000 to speak for the rights and interests of South
Korean baseball players. It represents all 463 professional players registered
with the KBO. The KBO, founded in 1982 and now having eight teams, had not
allowed any official organization of players, but approved the KPBPA in 2000 on
condition that it remain a private organization. The KPBPA was not entitled to
sit at the negotiating table with the KBO because it did not have legal status.
"It has been 10 years since the association was founded, but nothing has
improved," Kwon Si-hyeong, general director of the group, said. "Representatives
from eight clubs have agreed that it is time to create the union."
He demanded that the KBO allow players to employ agents to deal with contracts
and ban unilateral trade against players' will. Under current KBO regulations,
athletes cannot have agents handle wage deals on their behalf or defy orders to
move to another team.
Kwon said that an organizing committee will be formed in the near future and will
poll players on their opinions.
"We are now watching the situation carefully," said Lee Sang-il from the general
affairs office of the KBO. "We will discuss the issue at our executive board
meeting on Thursday."
The KPBPA is credited with having improved treatment for baseball players,
including a minimum salary hike, pension plans, and emergency medical service at
stadiums.
The minimum wage has been raised from 5 million won (US$3,700) to 20 million won,
but it is still far behind from the U.S. Major League's $400,000.
There had not been standing medical teams during baseball games in South Korea
until catcher Lim Soo-hyuk collapsed during a game in 2000 and did not receive
emergency treatment. Lim has been in a vegetative state since then.
brk@yna.co.kr
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