By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

Minor league baseball umpires voted Friday to authorize their first
strike since forming a union in 2000 and said Triple-A members would
not serve as fill-in major league umps until there is a contract.

The minor league umps, whose five-year labor deal expired in November,
had previously voted not to work spring training games. The decision
whether to strike will be made by the union's officers.

"Our goal all along has been to get a fair contract without a strike,
and we still hope that we can get it done," said Andy Roberts,
president of the Association of Minor League Umpires. "Our members
have told us loud and clear, however, that they're prepared to strike
if that's what it takes to get a fair contract."

The union represents about 220 umpires in 16 leagues. Management and
the union have not met since Jan. 31, when the Professional Baseball
Umpire Corporation made what the union termed management's final offer.

Triple-A umpires regularly work major league games during the regular
season, filling in for big league umps who are injured or on vacation.

"We have our regular crews. If somebody gets injured and they're
unwilling to work, we'll find somebody willing to work," said Rob
Manfred, Major League Baseball's executive vice president of labor
relations.

Pat O'Conner, chief operating officer of minor league baseball's
governing body, the National Association of Professional Baseball
Leagues, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

Roberts, an umpire with the Triple-A International League, had said
the average salary for minor league umpires has remained unchanged for
a decade. It is about $15,000 at Triple-A, $12,000 at Double-A,
$10,000 in full-season A-ball and $5,500 in rookie leagues.

Umpires have asked for annual increases in a four-year contract.
O'Conner has refused to comment publicly on negotiations.

March 3, 2006