Soccer stars sit-out training for pay fight
The Australian women’s soccer team - the Matildas - have withdrawn from a Sydney training camp amid a breakdown in talks over the pay dispute with the FFA.
They were heading into the camp ahead of their United States tour, but a stalled bargaining agreement means the players will no longer undertake any Matildas-related activities.
Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) chief executive Adam Vivian says players have gone unpaid for two months, and talks with Football Federation Australia (FFA) have failed to secure a new collective bargaining agreement.
“This decision has not been taken lightly, however the players feel they have been left with little option as the current proposal is simply unacceptable,” Vivian said in a statement.
“FFA has failed to recognise the significant sacrifices the Matildas players are forced to make in playing for their country.
“Their proposal would see players continue to be unfairly remunerated for the work they undertake, denied access to a high performance environment, which dramatically reduces their ability to compete with the world's best; and restricted in their ability to grow the women's game.
“The players have sought to have their contribution to the game respected. The current proposal from FFA highlights their unwillingness to meaningfully address the core issues.”
It comes after news that the Socceroos' pulled out of a signing session in a Perth shopping centre before their World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, after their collective bargaining agreement expired.
The Matildas made headlines – rare for any women’s sport – when they became the first Australian representative team to reach the last eight in a football world cup this year.
But the World Cup success highlighted their second-class position, with reports that each Matilda was paid just $500 in match fees for the games, while their male counterparts received $7500 for doing the same thing.
In addition, the Matildas earn an average daily wage of $150, compared to the Socceroos’ $240 a day.
Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams said the players were united.
“This was an extremely difficult decision to make,” Williams told the ABC.
“However it's simply unfair to continue to expect us to make enormous sacrifices to play for Australia.
“For the past two months the players have been unpaid and have made every attempt to reach an agreement that gives the women's game a platform for growth.
“This is about the future of Australian football. We want to establish football as the sport of choice for Australian women, and we want to be one of the best nations in the world.
“FFA's stance indicates that they do not share these ambitions, nor do they understand and respect what we have given to the game. We are simply asking FFA do their bit so we can grow the game together.
“The players would like to thank the public for their longstanding support and encourage the Australian football community to back us in our fight to ensure the rights of female athletes are protected.”
The FFA has released a statement publicly condemning the PFA's move.
“Today FFA entered the talks in good faith with the intention of finalising the CBA, based on assurances from the PFA’s leadership that the parties were not far apart,” FFA chief executive Gallop said.
“Instead, we were presented with a fresh set of demands that amount to millions of dollars of unfunded commitments.
“It's sad that the Matildas have been dragged into a dispute that’s primarily about the A-League. The offer to the Matildas would basically double their pay over the next four years.
“Since talks began seven months ago, FFA and A-League club representatives have opened the books to show the PFA exactly what the game can afford and what is possible with an improved TV deal in 2017.”