Simon Colosimo, PFA President, who will lead the players in discussing the A-League CBA talks between the FFA and the PFA

PFA Delegates from all A-League clubs will meet on Thursday to consider negotiations between Football Federation Australia (FFA) and the PFA for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to cover all A-League players and clubs. The CBA negotiations are designed to build on the landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FFA and the PFA signed in July 2007.

Having achieved the MOU and a 4 year CBA for the Socceroos in July, the PFA and FFA have been comprehensively addressing the A-League in recent months. The talks have addressed all aspects of the career path of an A-League professional, as well as initiatives to entrench the A-League in the Australian sports and entertainment industry as a competition marked by large crowds and TV audiences, community engagement and a playing group that upholds the highest standards of professionalism and citizenship.

Specific items to be considered by the players include:

  • A-League player payments: minimum wage and salary cap
  • Club standards: medical facilities and personnel
  • Use of player images, licensing pool
  • Injury payments and protection
  • Fixturing and scheduling of work, time off, notice and annual leave
  • Security for player payments
  • Player career path support and funding of PFA education, hardship and other player services
  • Player contract issues
  • Exclusion of liability provisions in the standard player contract and insurance arrangements
  • Regulatory improvements

The A-League CBA is the major item on the agenda of the 2007 PFA Annual General Meeting. Other items include the election of the office bearers and a report on the PFA’s achievements and financial performance in 2006/2007.