5-year pay scale . . . An "independent contractor" rant (with bonus COLLUSION!)

[The Man in Blue]

Here is a recent e-mail that is being shared in central Illinois:

Hello all,

Over the course of this school year, representatives from conferences located in central Illinois met to finalize an agreement regarding fees for officials.  The ****** Conference, *** ** Conference, ***-***** Conference, and ****** ***** ***** Conference have developed a 5 year agreement of payment rates for IHSA officials starting with the 2024-25 season.  We hope the following information provides a clear and concise explanation of the agreement.

The purpose of this agreement is to provide member conferences the ability to create and enact agreed upon pay structures and guidelines for officials that work with our conferences. This process is collaborative and involves communication with officials assignors to address compensation.   This agreement is a cooperative approach in that member conferences, and thereby schools within those conferences, agree to abide by the pay structures and other guidelines enacted by this agreement.   This agreement is not empowered to sanction any member conference or school for not following the guidelines.  This agreement contains a Hold Harmless clause that allows some conference schools to continue to pay their current rate to officials if that rate is above the suggested amounts (pay freeze until all conferences can align). 

The attached document outlines the agreed upon rates for officials from 2024-2029. 

The ******* ***** ***** Conference believes that this agreement will help provide consistency across central Illinois (specifically all the schools that are using this agreement).  The agreement will provide sustainability and an annual increase for officials.   

Please feel free to discuss any questions with our respected *** conference members.  Thanks in advance.

******* ***** ***** Conference

 

I cut out the baseball and softball schedules, as the attachment includes ALL sports.

 

 

Wow.  I'm not even sure which of my many issues to start with . . . 

I'll let the conversation unfold, as I think my cards are pretty obvious.

 

 

[834k3r]

Why the need to specify pay for DH or triples? Why the need to specify pay for JV and Frosh?

Seems they're overcomplicating their table (intentional?).

As far as the amounts, that's less than we get in my home region. This past year, our association got $69/umpire for subvarsity $88/umpire for varsity. For varsity games with a three-man crew, it pays $74/umpire. Travel is paid extra to one umpire per crew (usually the one that travels the furthest). We also have a "no new after 2" rule for subvarsity.

When I work games outside my region (I have reciprocity with another association), the pay is not as good ($75/umpire for varsity, $55/umpire for subvarsity) but travel is on top of that, and is often substantial ($75 or more).

Finally, I think our association agreement/contract with the state athletic association is good for 3 years and increases year-on-year.

[grayhawk]

That’s some seriously low pay. Out here in SoCal, we’re getting $85/game for 2 man in the off-season. And that’s no new inning after 1:45 in tournaments. 
 

I think varsity next year will be $105 per game, but not positive since I’m not working HS anymore. 

[JonnyCat]

Wow! Those pay rates are sure to attract new members, and for sure retain existing members!

I also like how on multiple games they did the math for you. Apparently, Illinois officials are too stupid to add up numbers on their own.

Looks like Illinois is going to have a surplus of umpires vying for those pay rates! Great first step towards addressing the nationwide shortage of officials!

[BLWizzRanger]

They forgot one.... What are your single rates?




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[tpatience]

46 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

That’s some seriously low pay. Out here in SoCal, we’re getting $85/game for 2 man in the off-season. And that’s no new inning after 1:45 in tournaments. 
 

I think varsity next year will be $105 per game, but not positive since I’m not working HS anymore. 

105 sounds about right. It was 98 this year, with mileage over 25 miles 

[wolfe_man]

*

[Mudisfun]

1 hour ago, JonnyCat said:

Wow! Those pay rates are sure to attract new members, and for sure retain existing members!

I also like how on multiple games they did the math for you. Apparently, Illinois officials are too stupid to add up numbers on their own.

Looks like Illinois is going to have a surplus of umpires vying for those pay rates! Great first step towards addressing the nationwide shortage of officials!

I bet they included the math to keep schools from trying to slip in the 'you are already here, so your 2nd game fee is less' line. Keeps everyone on the same page... the page that you are seriously underpaid.

 

For H2O Polo here in So Cal, we get hammered that way... $70 for a varsity game and $60 for a subvarsity game... but if we have a V and JV game scheduled, we only get $105, not the $130 you would expect... if we get scheduled a V/JV/FS then it is $140, not the $190 the math says we should be receiving.

Baseball, game fees are per game, regardless if you work a DH or not.

[Kevin_K]

NJ has a similar collusion problem that crosses sports and is prevalent in all regions of the state. Athletic directors meet at their annual conference and determine what the fees will be for a period years that they determine and that includes no input from any of the independent contractors or their representatives.

For 2024 varsity baseball was $105 (from $90), varsity volleyball was $85 (from$69), and JV volleyball was $56 (from $52). Typically, volleyball is varsity and JV at one school or it's a multi-school tri or quad so volleyball is far more attractive financially than baseball. The NJSIAA had a program that offered a $300 rebate to new officials but their budget seems to no longer be able absorb those costs.

I am an executive board member of one of my officials' associations and I am planning to have some state-wide conversations with other executive boards to have some coordination of our efforts. This might give a voice from the officials at these meetings. While not in that position to have that conversation yet, it will happen within two years.

I wonder how the powers that be might react if one sport's carded and properly registered officials actually worked together to the benefit of themselves rather than having to knuckle under when offered working conditions that the independent contractors of other fields would never accept. I'd bet that Hunter and Ava's moms would not be happy if their events were impacted from a lack of officials that could be prevented.

[Velho]

I don't know enough to legitimately say this is a good idea or not (being 50 and in non-union workplaces my work life (besides the grocery store at 16 where they took money and I have no idea what I got for it).

Proof I have some self restraint: I didn't make a single NJ or Chicago joke.

 

[The Man in Blue]

Everybody is focusing in on the pay . . . Are there no other concerns with that letter?  (I have LOTS.)

As for the pay, those are the LOWEST rates in the area (and yes, some summer stuff is paying better).  One school I work for pays $100 no matter what it is (Varsity, JV, baseball, softball).  Most are in the $80/$85 range for varsity and $70/$75 for JV.  The conferences mentioned (I redacted them, not sure why) cover 36 schools across the biggest cities in central Illinois: Springfield, Decatur, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, etc.  Funny how the "poor rural country schools" pay so much better.

Notice there is a clause saying member schools who pay over the "contract" rate should freeze their rates until everybody else catches up.  (I mentioned in another thread, the JV rate of $60 has not gone up in at least 3 years.)

My school district now charges $8 to get into basketball, football, and volleyball games.  Nobody else around here charges more than $5.  One of my students was on the student "advisory board" for the district.  When I asked her about the admission hike, she said the superintendent told her it was because the officials were raising their prices so high and they have to be able to pay us.  I called that bunk out real quick.

For context, we do not have "strong" associations in Illinois.  Associations (technically) don't do any assigning and may put on an annual "clinic" and a rules meeting to review the test.  In my area, the association is a social clubs and the people who "run" the social club in my area are the assignors (which is why I say the association technically does not assign) who are doing a SH*# job in my area.  No officials' association was mentioned as a part of that discussion.  The schools did it, gave it to the assignors, and said pass it along. 

 

 

[Thatsnotyou]

Varsity games in the Chicago suburbs pay $77 (except for catholic conferences that pay $100 and never have coverage issues). It was $75 last year and $65 the year prior. And they used to do a lower rate for a DH instead of two game fees.

Speaking of $65, that’s the rate for the first round of the playoffs. After $77 for regular season. 

 

Baseball and softball also shouldn’t have equal pay - I’ve never seen an April softball game go 2.5 hours. There also isn’t a clock like there is in basically every other sport. 
 

The problem with coverage is only going to get worse, especially at the lower levels. 

[wolfe_man]

*

[JSam21]

20 hours ago, JonnyCat said:

Wow! Those pay rates are sure to attract new members, and for sure retain existing members!

I also like how on multiple games they did the math for you. Apparently, Illinois officials are too stupid to add up numbers on their own.

Looks like Illinois is going to have a surplus of umpires vying for those pay rates! Great first step towards addressing the nationwide shortage of officials!

Well the main issue was, they weren't paying full game rates for DH. The reasoning was the game fee includes your travel, so why do we need to pay you for travel when you are already here?

[JSam21]

Here is the thing. If you don't like something about the proposal, don't work those leagues. I don't work a bunch in the summer because I don't want to travel, don't like the pay rate, want to get into the gym and want to spend time with my kids. Officiating isn't main source of income.

[concertman1971]

2 hours ago, Thatsnotyou said:

(except for catholic conferences that pay $100 and never have coverage issues)

🤯

[834k3r]

17 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

she said the superintendent told her it was because the officials were raising their prices so high and they have to be able to pay us.

This is so infuriating I have no words suitable for a public post. Schools are being dishonest, getting caught being dishonest, and nothing happens.

[Mudisfun]

One part of the conversation no one is mentioning as well is the assigning fees. Seems every time a game fee is increased, so does the assigning fee's. I have no issue with the assignor getting paid, but for HS games, in my mind, the assignor(s) are really working for the schools and not the umpires. The schools are the ones with the demand and as such, should be the ones paying the assignor for the work he or she is performing for them in assigning games. Put that fee really where it belongs, on the athletics departments and let our game fees be what they actually are, not game fee minus.

[The Man in Blue]

3 hours ago, Thatsnotyou said:

Varsity games in the Chicago suburbs pay $77 (except for catholic conferences that pay $100 and never have coverage issues). It was $75 last year and $65 the year prior. And they used to do a lower rate for a DH instead of two game fees.

Speaking of $65, that’s the rate for the first round of the playoffs. After $77 for regular season. 

Baseball and softball also shouldn’t have equal pay - I’ve never seen an April softball game go 2.5 hours. There also isn’t a clock like there is in basically every other sport. 

The problem with coverage is only going to get worse, especially at the lower levels. 

I'm glad you brought that up @Thatsnotyou.  I know several officials who turned down post-season assignments due to the dip in pay from the regular season to IHSA's postseason.

I've talked to more than one official who thinks IHSA is putting pressure on schools to reduce pay because their post-season rate is unbelievably low.  That paints an even bleaker picture if the state association is in on this.

I mean, let's be real . . . those conferences are NOT competing for the same pool of umpires for 4:30 weekday games.  So why the need to do this?

 

[The Man in Blue]

Tangent:

20 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

This is so infuriating I have no words suitable for a public post. Schools are being dishonest, getting caught being dishonest, and nothing happens.

Did I mention my school just had a (much needed) $90+million dollar rebuild . . . which included a new state of the art gymnasium and a new turf football field?  (To be fair, most of the funds come from a 1% sales tax that the county passed six years ago.)  However, to nearly double your admission prices at the same time you open these new facilities AND then blame it on officials' pay which you just collaborated on to keep low?!

I'm not 100% certain, but I am pretty sure I was getting $60/game when I started this venture about 15 years ago.

[The Man in Blue]

52 minutes ago, JSam21 said:

Here is the thing. If you don't like something about the proposal, don't work those leagues. I don't work a bunch in the summer because I don't want to travel, don't like the pay rate, want to get into the gym and want to spend time with my kids. Officiating isn't main source of income.

 

While I do agree with that concept, I have to point out that that is VERY easy to say when you work in an area like St. Louis that has plenty of opportunities to work other schools, higher levels, etc.

These conferences are each roughly an hour away from one another.  They are not competing for the same pool of umpires for 4:30 weekday games and needed to provide equity for their member schools.  This was purely an effort to play more games while pushing down to hold the line on costs.

Like I said, I have one school that I work for that pays $100/game and it doesn't matter what the game is.  Every official cannot just go work there.  So, while I agree with the premise of the "just don't work there" approach, it is not tenable.  (FWIW, no, I don't expect every school to pay like that.)

No, it isn't my main source of income either (heck, I still haven't cashed any HS season checks . . . need to do that).  However, just because I enjoy it doesn't mean I should be insulted.  My time is not worthless and it has been established that it has value (and that value has been established).  Preaching that I am independent contractor and then colluding across a major portion of the state to artificially reduce pay is not OK.  Claiming that "an agreement has been reached for a contract" about officials' pay is bunk when officials were NOT included in that discussion.

 

[The Man in Blue]

3 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

I've always thought there should be a clock introduced for baseball at the lower levels (sub Varsity).   I think 1:45 drop-dead is plenty of baseball for these levels.  Most don't have the pitching to keep a decent game going that long even, once their good pitcher throws his max pitches then it becomes mayhem. 

💨Why doesn't Allstate offer umpire's poor game insurance for that kind of mayhem?

 

I forget how long ago it was, but junior high/middle school (IESA) introduced a 2:15 (finish the inning) limit to help retain umpires without schools having to raise pay.  The following year, they dropped it it to 2:00.

Last year, IHSA adopted that 2:00 limit for sub-varsity.  

[JSam21]

47 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

While I do agree with that concept, I have to point out that that is VERY easy to say when you work in an area like St. Louis that has plenty of opportunities to work other schools, higher levels, etc.

These conferences are each roughly an hour away from one another.  They are not competing for the same pool of umpires for 4:30 weekday games and needed to provide equity for their member schools.  This was purely an effort to play more games while pushing down to hold the line on costs.

Like I said, I have one school that I work for that pays $100/game and it doesn't matter what the game is.  Every official cannot just go work there.  So, while I agree with the premise of the "just don't work there" approach, it is not tenable.  (FWIW, no, I don't expect every school to pay like that.)

No, it isn't my main source of income either (heck, I still haven't cashed any HS season checks . . . need to do that).  However, just because I enjoy it doesn't mean I should be insulted.  My time is not worthless and it has been established that it has value (and that value has been established).  Preaching that I am independent contractor and then colluding across a major portion of the state to artificially reduce pay is not OK.  Claiming that "an agreement has been reached for a contract" about officials' pay is bunk when officials were NOT included in that discussion.

 

Here in STL, everyone goes through one person for HS baseball on the Missouri side. So, unless the schools want to find their own officials for games, that's who you have to deal with. Varsity $96/game with no DH discount, sub-varsity $75 with 2:15 time limit regardless of conference. While we do have more schools down here... there is only one person to get games from.

Do you guys have an assigner up there or do the schools find their own people? I know when I worked in IL, there were a handful of conferences around the STL Metro that would go through an assigner while once you got outside of the metro area, it went to individual schools contracting officials (sometimes YEARS in advance).

 

[Thatsnotyou]

2 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

I forget how long ago it was, but junior high/middle school (IESA) introduced a 2:15 (finish the inning) limit to help retain umpires without schools having to raise pay.  The following year, they dropped it it to 2:00.

Last year, IHSA adopted that 2:00 limit for sub-varsity.  

They adopted it as an option, it’s not mandatory. Conferences make the call. But, it should be a 2:00 finish the half inning for sub-varsity, end of story. I don’t work sub-varsity, but if I did, I wouldn’t work for a conference that didn’t adopt it. 

1 hour ago, JSam21 said:

Here in STL, everyone goes through one person for HS baseball on the Missouri side. So, unless the schools want to find their own officials for games, that's who you have to deal with. Varsity $96/game with no DH discount, sub-varsity $75 with 2:15 time limit regardless of conference. While we do have more schools down here... there is only one person to get games from.

Do you guys have an assigner up there or do the schools find their own people? I know when I worked in IL, there were a handful of conferences around the STL Metro that would go through an assigner while once you got outside of the metro area, it went to individual schools contracting officials (sometimes YEARS in advance).

 

We have assignors up here. Schools don’t contract with individual umpires. I’m wondering what contracts are in place with schools, conferences, and assignors. What stops a school from breaking off and saying hey so and so umpire(s), we’ll pay you X to cover our games. They pay a bit more, but they secured coverage (and likely better umpires than they’d get if it was “random”). 

[The Man in Blue]

3 hours ago, Thatsnotyou said:

They adopted it as an option, it’s not mandatory. Conferences make the call. But, it should be a 2:00 finish the half inning for sub-varsity, end of story. I don’t work sub-varsity, but if I did, I wouldn’t work for a conference that didn’t adopt it. 

Interesting.  Last year it was a conference adoption.  We were told it was IHSA-wide this year.  (Doesn't mean it is.)