The players of the Spanish first division, Liga F, will continue their strike action, their unions announced on Thursday September 7. Five unions, including AFE and Futpro, which are demanding an increase in the minimum salary of the women’s league, called a strike for the first two days of the championship last week, denouncing a salary proposal “unacceptable”. The latter demand salaries “at the height of the talent” players, including some Spanish world champions.
The current minimum wage is 16,000 euros per year, and the unions explain that they have lowered their demand to 23,000 euros. But Liga F refused to increase its offer beyond 20,000 euros per year. A judged proposal “unacceptable” by the players, because “this would mean, let’s not forget, earning less than the referees”they denounced in a communicated.
In negotiation for a year
Negotiations on salaries and working conditions began a year ago, during the transition to the professional level of Liga F. The negotiations that took place this week only concerned the minimum salaries of players, other meetings being scheduled between September 15 and 17 to discuss working conditions.
Last season, a referees’ strike disrupted the first week of the championship, before the league agreed to increase their match fees and the Spanish government promised to contribute to a pension fund for referees.
This players’ strike comes as Spanish women’s football is in the midst of a crisis, since the forced kiss of the now suspended Federation President, Luis Rubiales, to world champion Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony on August 20. Facts which caused international outrage, and for which the Spanish number 10 ended up filing a complaint on Wednesday.
Eighty-one Spanish players are refusing to play for La Roja again until the federation’s leadership changes, prompting the interim president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Pedro Rocha, to take action. measurements of “restructuring”.
His first decision was to dismiss coach Jorge Vilda, close to Rubiales whose methods were contested by his players, and replace him with his assistant Montse Tomé, who became the first woman to occupy this position.