In the beginning there was baseball...Major League Baseball player, Mike Trout, is #1 ranking contract at $426 million. Trout is the only client of agent Craig Landis, who played in the MLB himself. In the history of the MLB, there has been strikes, locked out players, and work stoppages. The late 1990s was a time for collective bargaining with professional sports. "The key issues at stake in the MLB collective bargaining negotiations included pension payments, minimum salaries, free agency, salary caps, and revenue sharing" (Feldman, 2018). Collective bargaining is negotiations between the employers and the player for the details in the contract. An example of such a beginning, was the first union formed for the MLB. It was called the Brotherhood of Professional Baseball Players, founded in 1885. It was formed to protect the players against their owners, "The key issues under contention included a player's right to sign with the team of his choosing, guaranteed contracts, overall limits on player salaries, and a pension plan.." (Swanson, 2016). Should major issues arise, the League Commissioner has the last say.

When my wife worked for the Post Office, she had the option to pay for a labor union representative. When signing up, a person is required to pay "dues" each month and if ever needed a rep will be the middle man in an issue. This was the case in a situation with my wife as a rural carrier. The representative had to negotiate terms when an accident happened. Luckily, she had that person in her corner to fight for her best interest. The same is said with collective bargaining and negotiating contracts, resolutions, or legal issues. Entering into these agreements can start in a number of ways. One example is signing as a player for the professional league. A CBA document is presented and then negotiated. Most times the contract will be drafted and redrafted, "Either side has the right to convince the other side to come back to the bargaining table to discuss or negotiate over a new or current term of employment" (Moorman, Sharp, &Claussen, 2021). HOW DO I RESPOND TO THIS POST?