Florida Officials Threatening Stoppage

[UTchad]

As I enter my 5th year of officiating, and thankfully my wife gives me up during the season.  Here in Utah we travel everywhere, work with a different crew every week, and our Varsity fee this year is $71 + Mileage over 25 miles. Just two years ago the game fee was $59. They negotiated a $15 raise to go in over 3 years. First year $7, then $5, and next year we will get $3.

I bring this all up because I don't do this for the money, I do it for the love of the game. I get a rush out of being at the school on Friday night.  I guess if it ever got the point that I was more concerned about my game fee i'd just quit.

I'll admit obviously I don't know the whole background of officiating in Florida, but here there is no negotiating the game fee, schools can't choose how much they pay you. But I have a feeling if a chapter here in Utah wanted to strike because they felt the game fee was too low and that forced games to be played Thursday night for example... i'd gladly work those games.

[zebrastripes]

As I enter my 5th year of officiating, and thankfully my wife gives me up during the season.  Here in Utah we travel everywhere, work with a different crew every week, and our Varsity fee this year is $71 + Mileage over 25 miles. Just two years ago the game fee was $59. They negotiated a $15 raise to go in over 3 years. First year $7, then $5, and next year we will get $3.

I bring this all up because I don't do this for the money, I do it for the love of the game. I get a rush out of being at the school on Friday night.  I guess if it ever got the point that I was more concerned about my game fee i'd just quit.

I'll admit obviously I don't know the whole background of officiating in Florida, but here there is no negotiating the game fee, schools can't choose how much they pay you. But I have a feeling if a chapter here in Utah wanted to strike because they felt the game fee was too low and that forced games to be played Thursday night for example... i'd gladly work those games.

And herein lies the problem.

[WVABJ1807]

Dont bother stepping ont he field with me or my crew.  As someone who has gone thru a work stoppage, in another sport, once the stoppage is resolved.  Dont bother stepping on the field with me.  You wont like it.

[zebrastripes]

Dont bother stepping ont he field with me or my crew.  As someone who has gone thru a work stoppage, in another sport, once the stoppage is resolved.  Dont bother stepping on the field with me.  You wont like it.

Are you quoting UTChad, me, or someone else?

[colorado_lines]

As I enter my 5th year of officiating, and thankfully my wife gives me up during the season.  Here in Utah we travel everywhere, work with a different crew every week, and our Varsity fee this year is $71 + Mileage over 25 miles. Just two years ago the game fee was $59. They negotiated a $15 raise to go in over 3 years. First year $7, then $5, and next year we will get $3.

I bring this all up because I don't do this for the money, I do it for the love of the game. I get a rush out of being at the school on Friday night.  I guess if it ever got the point that I was more concerned about my game fee i'd just quit.

I'll admit obviously I don't know the whole background of officiating in Florida, but here there is no negotiating the game fee, schools can't choose how much they pay you. But I have a feeling if a chapter here in Utah wanted to strike because they felt the game fee was too low and that forced games to be played Thursday night for example... i'd gladly work those games.

UTchad, I think most officials do it primarily for the love of the game, not for the money.  I get that same rush on Friday nights, I love the game, I love working with the kids, and I'm fortunate enough that I don't need the money.  However, not all officials are as fortunate as I am.  Many officials, even though they don't do it for the money, are not in the financial position where they can afford to do the games without being paid fairly for the amount of time and work required plus the expenses we incur.  For someone who has a job where pay is based on hours worked or commission, giving up time at work to officiate can be a tough situation; this can be especially true for younger officials who are just starting out in their other careers.

There is also the matter of respect.  We do a difficult and important job that requires a large investment of time outside of games, we give up time with our family, many of us use vacation days from work, we get yelled at by fans and coaches, etc....   Schools pay lip service to us, saying that they know we are important and have a hard job but when they aren't willing to back it up by paying a fair wage or actually trying to improve how we get treated, then I don't feel we are being given the proper respect.  Now yes, there are some schools out there that are hurting financially and it would be hard for them to pay us more but I've seen lots of school who clearly spend tons of money on non-essential aspects of their football program and then claim they don't have any money to pay officials more.  Schools count on us to either believe that they don't have money or count on our love of the game/the kids to avoid paying many of us a fair rate.

Here in Colorado we make less than Florida, we just got up to $61 for a varsity game and mileage is a crapshoot as to whether you will get it, even on drives of several hours.  I fully support the Florida officials and hope they are successful and that it shows other states that we can't just be taken for granted.  Some of the associations around here have talked about work stoppages, nobody has ever reached the point of pulling the trigger but if a nearby one did, I would never cross the line to work their games unless their demands were crazily out of line (limo rides to games or something).

[UTchad]

UTchad, I think most officials do it primarily for the love of the game, not for the money.  I get that same rush on Friday nights, I love the game, I love working with the kids, and I'm fortunate enough that I don't need the money.  However, not all officials are as fortunate as I am.  Many officials, even though they don't do it for the money, are not in the financial position where they can afford to do the games without being paid fairly for the amount of time and work required plus the expenses we incur.  For someone who has a job where pay is based on hours worked or commission, giving up time at work to officiate can be a tough situation; this can be especially true for younger officials who are just starting out in their other careers.

There is also the matter of respect.  We do a difficult and important job that requires a large investment of time outside of games, we give up time with our family, many of us use vacation days from work, we get yelled at by fans and coaches, etc....   Schools pay lip service to us, saying that they know we are important and have a hard job but when they aren't willing to back it up by paying a fair wage or actually trying to improve how we get treated, then I don't feel we are being given the proper respect.  Now yes, there are some schools out there that are hurting financially and it would be hard for them to pay us more but I've seen lots of school who clearly spend tons of money on non-essential aspects of their football program and then claim they don't have any money to pay officials more.  Schools count on us to either believe that they don't have money or count on our love of the game/the kids to avoid paying many of us a fair rate.

Here in Colorado we make less than Florida, we just got up to $61 for a varsity game and mileage is a crapshoot as to whether you will get it, even on drives of several hours.  I fully support the Florida officials and hope they are successful and that it shows other states that we can't just be taken for granted.  Some of the associations around here have talked about work stoppages, nobody has ever reached the point of pulling the trigger but if a nearby one did, I would never cross the line to work their games unless their demands were crazily out of line (limo rides to games or something).

I totally understand what you are saying, and not trying to start an argument. I know i am lucky to be in a job where they let me out early on thursdays and fridays so I can drive to game sites to work games. But I knew all of this when I took up officiating. What I am trying to say is increasing the pay is not going to miraculously get us better officials, better coaches, or better games. I think the problem with sports in general is bigger than just that. The raise instituted in over 3 season here in Utah, I signed in support for, but never had the intention of striking like some others did. I guess if officiating football started to feel more like a job, i'd questions why I am doing it then. I hope it works out for Florida, and from what I read it seems that they aren't be treating as good as other states treat their officials. But they shouldn't expect neighboring associations to not pick up those games. And perhaps I don't fully understand how associations are set up in other states. Being an official in Utah I can technically work any game within the state if the arbiter chooses to assign me to it. I have traveled 4.5 hours for a game before. So perhaps there is a little ignorance at play here on my part, I probably wouldn't want to cross into Wyoming for example just 90 min north of me and work a game, if those officials were on strike. 

[zebrastripes]

colorado_lines is pretty much spot on.

Expecting a fair wage commensurate with the investment and baggage this job comes with, and "not doing it for the money," are not mutually exclusive. Our time away from our real jobs, families, other hobbies, etc. is worth fair compensation. No one should expect to get rich officiating HS football, nor should anyone expect to have trouble just breaking even after all the expenses (monetarily and in other respects) we incur.

This whole "but what about the kids?" line of thinking has led to officials getting looked over, disrespected, and poorly compensated for too long. It's also hypocritical for administrators to pull the "kids" card while not doing anything to address poor sportsmanship that is leading to these shortages. And I'm sick of people (including officials) not having the backbone to call them out for it. These officials that sell their souls for any price and blast other officials with nonsense about "not caring about the kids" do way more harm than good to the officiating community.

If all you care about is the kids, do it for free - I will gladly take your check.

Schools don't have the money for raises? Please. colorado_lines hit on the hypocrisy of this argument, too.

Officiating is a business. Anyone I've ever trusted says the best officials treat it as such. And part of a business is to expect to be compensated commensurate with the value you provide. If schools don't think we are valuable, they will rethink that when their precious kids are sitting at home on Friday nights.

And yes, if I was ever part of a work stoppage any scabs that cross the picket line would not be acceptable crewmates for me. Unless the demands were absolutely ludicrous.

[CalhounLJ]

I would NEVER go into another officials area to call a game under these circumstances. I have too much respect for our profession to do that. That’s all I’m saying.


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[bossman72]

Now yes, there are some schools out there that are hurting financially and it would be hard for them to pay us more but I've seen lots of school who clearly spend tons of money on non-essential aspects of their football program and then claim they don't have any money to pay officials more.  Schools count on us to either believe that they don't have money or count on our love of the game/the kids to avoid paying many of us a fair rate.

FWIW, when the PIAA Lacrosse officials were going through their unionizing issue, not once did one of the schools argue "we can't afford it" when pay raises were brought up.  This is because it would have forced them to open their books and prove to the union that they can't afford it, which they obviously didn't want to do for reasons you can infer.

[hef333]

Looks like crisis averted....

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/florida-football-officials-strike-deal-with-lee-county-schools-to-work-games-this-season/ar-AAFKYPL

[yarnnelg]

Tampa Bay has three Associations competing for those contracts. Rest assured, that one of those associations would gladly "Buy" as many Contracts as they could to lock in the schools.

Let Palm Beach carry that burden.

[TampaSteve]

Tampa Bay has three Associations competing for those contracts. Rest assured, that one of those associations would gladly "Buy" as many Contracts as they could to lock in the schools.

Let Palm Beach carry that burden.

I've not followed this issue very closely, but last I heard, the state revoked one or both of those assns charters. And I thought I read or heard the situation was resolved and no games were postponed...

But in as far as "Tampa Bay" assns picking them up, it does not seem reasonable - unless you know something I dont know.
So not to name any specific names, I'll be vague here.
"Tampa Bay" has 2 assns. one east of the bay, another west of the bay.
The one to the west, last I heard, had games to the south every week across that big bridge - and guys dont like going there.
With that, Lee County is even further south by about an hour - or more (?).

I'm not so sure how aggressive they would jump on that.

As far as the one to the east of the bay, for them going to Lee county would be just as much as a pain (120mi), and going to Palm Beach county is just out of the question for anyone in Tampa Bay as well as Orlando or even Daytona.

There's one assn there to the east of "Tampa Bay" between Tampa & Orlando, but like everyone else, the distance is huge and they wouldn't have the capacity.

[fudilligas]

from my understanding there were 3 games in Lee county on thursday night that were covered by officials from another association....one official let it slip that he traveled over 2 1/2 hours...also they were given new uniforms, without the FHSAA state patch, and a good paycheck for the effort....i know they did not come from the east coast of the state....IMHO we do not need officials who will sell out their fellow officials....

another situation from this "boycott"....all the other sports now want the same increase for their officials....our association worked with the schools in the area and although they did not get the same $10 increase, they did receive $3....this is a one season deal while we wait to see if the FHSAA keeps their promise and increases the fees for next year