The World Umpires Association (WUA) is an organization of Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 umpire

Umpire (baseball)

In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...

s. It was certified by the National Labor Relations Board

National Labor Relations Board

The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...

 on February 24, 2000 as a bargaining agent. It took over as bargaining agent for MLB umpires before the 2000 MLB season, replacing the Major League Umpires Association

Major League Umpires Association

The Major League Umpires Association was a union for the umpires of both the American League and the National League. It was formed in 1970. It was superseded by the World Umpires Association which became the bargaining agent for MLB umpires before the 2000 season.-History:After a one-day strike by...

, which dated back to 1970. The MLUA, led by longtime negotiatiating attorney Richie Phillips

Richie Phillips

Richard G. Phillips is the former general counsel and executive director of the 52-member Major League Umpires Association , having held those positions from 1978 to 2000. He is most notable for recommending that the union baseball umpires resign en masse effective September 2, 1999 to leverage...

, was decertified by its member umpires (by a vote of 57 to 35) in February 2000, after Phillips' strategy of mass resignations in September 1999 backfired, with MLB simply accepting many resignations and promoting new umpires from the minor leagues. The WUA was created immediately afterward. Its first president was working umpire John Hirschbeck

John Hirschbeck

John Francis Hirschbeck is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the American League from 1984 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000; he is currently a crew chief. On February 28, 2000, Hirschbeck was elected as the first president of the newly certified World Umpires...

, who held the position from 2000 to 2009. He was replaced by Joe West in February of 2009. In December 2009, the WUA reached an agreement with MLB on a five-year labor agreement, which is reportedly the largest ever contract in the history of Major League Baseball. The contract runs through December 2014.
On January 18, 2010, members of the union voted 66 to 1 to ratify the contract.
The WUA's current board members West, Fieldin Culbreth

Fieldin Culbreth

Fieldin Henry Culbreth III is an umpire in Major League Baseball. A former pitcher and outfielder, Culbreth attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and began umpiring in college following an arm injury. He became a major league staff member in 1999...

, Vice-President, Jerry Layne

Jerry Layne

Jerry Blake Layne is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League between 1989 and 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000...

, Secretary/Treasurer make up the Executive Board for the union and Mike Everitt, Sam Holbrook

Sam Holbrook

Samuel Woodford Holbrook is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He wears number 34.Holbrook began his umpiring career in the Appalachian League in 1990, followed by stints in the Midwest, Carolina, Texas, Eastern and International Leagues before making his Major League debut in June,...

, Jeff Kellogg

Jeff Kellogg

Jeffrey William Kellogg is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1991 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000...

, Dan Iassogna

Dan Iassogna

Daniel Ralph Iassogna is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He joined the major league staff in and wears uniform number 58....

, Phil Cuzzi

Phil Cuzzi

Philip Cuzzi is a Major League Baseball umpire who initially worked in the National League from 1991 to 1993 before returning to the NL in 1999; since 2000 he has worked throughout both major leagues...

, and Mike Winters

Mike Winters

Michael John Winters is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1988 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He umpired in the minor leagues from 1982 to 1989 before joining the NL's regular staff in 1990...

comprise the remainder of the governing body. All members of the governing and executive boards are current umpires.
Legal counsel for the WUA is Brian Lam of Lam Legal, of Washington, D.C.