An attempt by two American League owners on the Player Relations Committee to strip commissioner Fay Vincent of his power over labor relations failed last week.
PRC chairman Bud Selig of the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf led the move last week in Chicago, officials said. It also had the support of Richard Ravitch, hired by Selig last fall as management's chief negotiator.Vincent said he was surprised and dismayed by the move, which he refused to go along with. Vincent's approval was necessary because the Major League Agreement states "`no diminution of the compensation or powers of the present or any succeeding commissioner shall be made during his term in office."
"I am not going to change my position, whatever that means," Vincent said.
The failed power grab, first reported in Wednesday's editions of The New York Times, took many owners and officials by surprise. It came amidst increasing indications of a split in labor policy pitting Selig, Reinsdorf and Ravitch against the commissioner and his central staff, with other clubs being forced to take sides.
"All I'm going to say on the record," Ravitch said, "is that I was hired by the owners to achieve their economic objectives. Any comments from me would not be consistent with that objective."
Owners from both leagues met jointly Wednesday with the PRC. Reinsdorf and Selig both refused to discuss PRC business with reporters.
Ravitch's participation in a failed move against Vincent calls into question his future effectiveness as the owners' negotiator.