Major League Baseball Players Assn.'s Tony Clark, AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler to discuss growing role in the labor movement, tomorrow

Jamie Horwitz

September 02, 2022

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler will speak at a National Press Club-sponsored Headliner event on Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 10 a.m., in the Club’s Holeman Lounge. The two labor leaders will discuss recent initiatives and alliances that have thrust the MLBPA to the forefront of sports news this year.

Tony clark on the left and Liz Shuler on the right

This week, the MLBPA, which represents the 1,200 players on the rosters of all 30 Major League Baseball teams, distributed union authorization cards that would allow the nation’s 5,000 minor league baseball players to vote on joining the union. The Senate Judiciary Committee has suggested it would call a hearing to explore the treatment of minor leaguers and the MLB’s antitrust exemption.

This Headliners event is open to credentialed media and club members, but registration is required.

Remarks from Clark and Shuler will be followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by National Press Club past president Jonathan Salant, Washington correspondent for NJ Advance Media. To submit a question via email, put MLBPA in the subject line and email to [email protected]. This event is both in-person and viewable via livestream on the club’s website at www.press.org .

Clark has served as the executive director of the MLBPA since 2013. Earlier this year, he led negotiations that resulted in higher wages and other significant gains for his members, achieved only after a 99-day lockout by the team owners. During his own major league career he played for six teams over 15 seasons, retiring following the 2009 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. A switch-hitter, Clark finished his career hitting .262/.339/.485 with 251 home runs and 824 RBIs in 1,559 games. He hit 30 or more home runs in four seasons.

Last year, Liz Shuler became the first woman to lead the AFL-CIO, the nation’s labor federation comprising 57 national and international unions.