The players of the 16 clubs that play in Spain’s Female First Division have voted to strike over an alleged failure of the Asociación de Clubes de Fútbol Femenino (ACFF) to compromise over its demands for a fairer Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). “There are certain red lines”, said Ainhoa Tirapu, Vice President of the Committee for Women’s Football, in a statement published by the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE). “And it’s not just money, we need to go much further in securing player rights […] we need minimum rights as workers.” 

The AFE said that the players had held 13 months of negotiations, involving 18 meetings with the ACFF, without any progress. ‘The requirements of the Unions are impossible to assume by the clubs without jeopardising the viability of the competition’, read a statement from the ACFF. ‘The ACFF has amply demonstrated its willingness to provide solutions and improve the initial proposals, increasing […] its initial salary offer by 23% (from €13,000 to €16,000) and ensuring that part time contracts do not occupy more than 50% of the normal working day. The budgetary impact of the union’s proposals on clubs would be €1.6 million. In exercising its duty of responsibility, the ACFF cannot accept an agreement involving these figures, as it is impractical.’