Negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement "were progressing, until the players union reportedly made a demand that threw everything off track," according to Carly Adno of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. There were 23 meetings held over a six-month period between Football Federation Australia, the Players FA and A-League clubs "to settle on a new CBA" before the current one expired on Monday. But "talks broke down last Thursday night at the back end of the bargaining session" when the PFA demanded that 30% of all A-League clubs’ revenue be put into a player pool for payments. Considering seven of the 10 A-League clubs have lost between A$1M ($770,000) and A$1.8M ($1.3M) -- only Melbourne Victory and the Western Sydney Wanderers have made a profit, while Sydney FC and Adelaide United are just about breaking even -- "this wasn’t even a consideration." A-League CEO Damien de Bohun said, "The PFA’s claim for players to receive a contracted right to 30 percent of A-League club revenues is irresponsible." After FFA held discussions with the clubs, "the new CBA offer remains on the table and is ready for immediate acceptance by the PFA." Key features "include a six-year commitment offering stability and increased player payments," a 30% share for players of any uplift in the next domestic broadcast rights deal and an increase in the minimum salary from A$51,000 ($39,000) to A$55,000 ($42,000). There "will also be an immediate introduction of new salary cap exemptions and flexibility." Adelaide United Chair Greg Griffin, speaking on behalf of the clubs, said that "the new CBA is the best package ever put to A-League players." Griffin: "The CBA proposal improves the career of A-League players in terms of salaries, longer-term contracting and contract security" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 6/29).
NO REPEAT: The AAP reported A-League officials assured fans that there will not "be a repeat of last season’s A-League grand final scheduling debacle next season." That is the word from FFA, which said that should either Melbourne Victory or Melbourne City host the decider, "it will be played at Etihad Stadium." De Bohun said that the grand final "would be held on May 1 next year and would carry none of the dramas that dogged the last." He said, "We’ve worked through that carefully with the AFL [Australian Football League], with the Victorian government, with Etihad Stadium" (AAP, 6/30).
