Members of Congress ask The Major League Baseball Players Union not to Allow It self to be Utilized in a Pro-Castro Maneuver

Washington, D.C. -- Please see the following text of a letter sent today by nine Members of Congress, Republicans as well as Democrats, to the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Major League Baseball Players Union, Donald Fehr, in which they ask major league players not to allow themselves to be utilized in a maneuver aimed at improving relations with the Castro dictatorship by way of baseball games.

Congresistas Piden al Sindicato De Peloteros Que no se Deje Usar en Maniobra Pro-Castro

Washington, D.C. -- A continuación por favor vea el texto de una carta enviada hoy por nueve Congresistas federales, tanto Republicanos como Demócratas, al Director del Sindicato de Peloteros de Grandes Ligas en Estados Unidos, Donald Febr, donde le piden a los peloteros de las grandes ligas que no se dejen utilizar en la anunciada maniobra para acercar a Estados Unidos a la tiraría de Castro a través de juegos de béisbol.

January 19, 1999

Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515

 Mr. Donald Fehr, Esq.
Executive Director and General Counsel
Major League Baseball Players Association
12 East 49 St
24th Floor
New York, New York 10022

Dear Mr. Fehr:

We are concerned about plans by owners of major league franchises, such as the Baltimore Orioles, to negotiate exhibition series with the Castro dictatorship. We believe these plans are grossly insensitive to the brutal abuse of human rights, and specifically, the total lack of labor rights in Cuba.

The Castro dictatorship has repeatedly been condemned for its widespread abuse of human rights by the United Nations, the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights, Amnesty International, Freedom House, the Center for a Free Cuba and dozens of other reputable human rights groups. The U.S. Department of State lists Castro as among the world’s worst abusers of human rights.

Castro’s 40 years of oppression include the systematic abuse of Cuban workers. The International Labor Organization confirms that ‘independent labor unions do not exist" in Cuba and has officially condemned Castro’s abuse of Cuban workers.

Cuban baseball players, for example, are prohibited from organizing, collective bargaining and striking. Cuban baseball players are also prohibited from traveling abroad or seeking foreign employment. Those who attempt to engage in union activities are subject to criminal prosecution. Several Cuban players currently playing in the Major Leagues suffered great hardship and political oppression in Cuba, and underwent tremendous personal ordeals to leave Cuba. Foreign investors in Cuba are "loaned" Cuban workers who are paid in worthless Cuban pesos by the regime; all dollars that are paid by the foreign investors are kept by the Cuban regime.

We believe that Major League players should not allow themselves to be utilized for the unfortunate image of "normalcy" in Cuba that exhibition games would present. These plans are being driven by various Major League owners, certainly not by the players.

We request your solidarity with Cuban workers and, most specifically, Cuban athletes, and we ask to meet with you as soon as possible on this important matter.

Sincerely,

Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Peter Deutsch (D-FL), Patrick Kennedy (D-RJ), Benjamin A. Gihnan CR-NY), Peter King (R-NY), Rick A. Lazio (R-NY) and William M. Thomas (R-CA).