A-League players reject clubs' CBA offer

The A-League clubs and the PFA are yet to settle on a new collective bargaining agreement, after the players rejected the clubs' proposal on Tuesday.

A-League players have rejected a proposed new collective bargaining agreement offered by the competition's clubs.

The clubs are aiming to secure a significantly reduced pay deal amid the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic - which has seen a renegotiated Fox Sports broadcast agreement and a loss of league and club revenues.

PLUS...

'No one was giving me answers': Stars escaping A-League 'nightmare'

The latest and greatest A-League star to exit to the Indian Super League, Wellington Phoenix's Steven Taylor, says COVID cutbacks spoiled his A-League career.

PLUS...

'Never thought I'd see Hulk hugging Mooy': Socceroo scores chip on Shanghai debut

Socceroos midfielder Aaron Mooy wasted no time notching his first goal within 25 minutes of his Shanghai SIPG debut in the Chinese Super League this morning.

But the clubs' offer, put to the players in a league-wide vote by their union, was rejected on Tuesday.

The Professional Footballers Australia said the clubs' proposal would allow them to "unilaterally impose salary reductions on players, with the players' only recourse to reject such a reduction being to terminate their employment" and would prevent players negotiating any reductions "in a fair and adequate manner."

PFA co-chief executive Beau Busch said the union had tabled two alternative proposals to the clubs' offer.

"At a time when the preservation of the A-League has required unprecedented sacrifices on the part of the players, they have been forced to defend their most basic contractual rights," Busch said.

"Our professional game finds itself at a critical juncture and our capacity to rebuild will largely be shaped by the quality of play on the pitch.

"Ensuring contract security and the attractiveness of the players' work environment is critical; failing to do so will simply undermine any recovery efforts."

The FFA is not directly involved in the negotiations and instead considers itself a "regulator", but it has warned it will intervene if the two parties can't reach an agreement.

PFA president and Sydney FC captain Alex Wilkinson said the players were willing to continue working with the clubs to secure a new CBA.

The players had been expected to return to training later this month or in early October, with Melbourne City previously flagging an October 5 return date.