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High School Sports Officials / PIAA Union


MRG9999
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Just got word that sports officials in Pennsylvania who are members of the PIAA can form an officials union.  The ruling states that we are employees of the PIAA not independent contractors.  What are your thoughts of this ruling? We are given the chance to sign Union cards, but I have not until I hear how it will help us or hurt us. 

Edited by MRG9999
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Just got word that sports officials in Pennsylvania who are members of the PIAA can form an officials union.  The ruling states that we are employees of the PIAA not independent contractors.  What are your thoughts of this ruling? We are given the chance to sign Union cards, but I have not until I hear how it will help us or hurt us. 

Who ruled on that? Do you have a link?

Never mind. Google is our friend: it's a NLRB ruling.

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I did not read it all, but I find it interesting that it seems to apply only to LAX officials.  Maybe PIAA read the writing on the wall and included the others.

 

I wonder how long before it trickles to other states.

 

There is a lot going on in Employment Law right now where fewer workers can be treated as independent contractors.  I wonder if we can work enough to get OT pay. ;)

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Do you get 1099s or W2s at the end of the year?

 

That's irrelevant. Even independent contractors get a 1099 from a school if they make more than $600 at that school. (I work for one school that routinely sends 1099's to any official, even for one game in the year.)

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In Southeast Michigan we're paid, by most schools, via Ref/ArbiterPay.  So, if I make more than $600, collectively, I'm getting 1099'd.  It sucks!!

I'm confused -- Why does it suck?  What difference does it make that you get a 1099? (as opposed to not getting one; not as opposed to getting a W-2)

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My guess is that there are some Western PA lacrosse officials who are unhappy with the highly-politicized world of PIAA; perhaps unable to find redress for their grievances, they turned to a union. That is most likely why the decision addresses lacrosse, and not other sports. I would also guess that PIAA will request review, that is, appeal.

For PIAA and disgruntled officials, see, for example, http://www.pasportsofficials.org/faq.html and http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/99d0909p.pdf 

Edited by LRZ
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Because now the IRS knows, and he has to pay tax on it.

I don't mind. It also means I can write off mileage, gear, etc. Yeah, I may have to pay a few bucks for it, but I'm honest enough to turn in my wages anyway.

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The best a union can do, at least for rank and file baseball officials, is get an on-site dressing room.

They cannot improve working conditions, nor the quality of play. 

As far as politics, it will remain, just in another form.

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True it is starting with LAX, but once the LAX officials vote and form a union, it will spread quickly to the other sports officials.  We just to have to wait and see how this progresses.

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True it is starting with LAX, but once the LAX officials vote and form a union, it will spread quickly to the other sports officials.  We just to have to wait and see how this progresses.

I'm not a labor lawyer, but I'm guessing the PIAA is not going to take warmly to this decision.  I smell appeals...and lots of them...if the PIAA and LAX officials can't work out their differences.

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Why? Officials, in general, could use a bit more organization, and bit more looking out for themselves, as a group. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm not sure the benefits will outweigh the costs of organization, nor am I confident that officials would collectively support it - someone will undercut - unless it's a closed shop environment.

 

Not being a lawyer of any type (though I did take the LSAT back in the day and did stay in a Holiday Inn Select once), I thought the NLRB examiner was way too shallow on some of the anti-employer aspects of the independent contractor status tests. Namely, he just brushed right by the ability of officials to seek and accept non-PIAA contests, the independent role of assigners, etc. He seemed to place quite a bit of emphasis on the place being 'controlled' by PIAA, when that's simply the worksite for PIAA games. Are officials to negotiate the school field site? There are employee-like aspects here but I read the decision - again, as a layman - as a predetermined conclusion in search of argument.

As I understand this, this is a single person's ruling, not the entire NLRB, similar to the Uber IC-employee ruling in California recently.

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