Matildas not waltzing until they

get a fair go

Australia’s national female soccer (football) team, the Matildas, has boycotted a tour to the US over ongoing pay disputes. While Football Federation no doubt enjoyed seeing Kyah Simon put the ball in the back of the net 3 times during the last World Cup, this is an unwelcome strike (zing! No this is serious). The public debate over the gender pay gap continues and central to it is the Matildas’ industrial dispute.

Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement between the Professional Louise Rumble Footballers Association (representing the Matildas) and FFA have stalled and the Senior Associate Matildas have gone two months with no pay cheque. Key to the dispute is the meagre remuneration the Matildas receive which is only highlighted by how much +61 2 8216 3042 [email protected] more the Socceroos get – try $500 versus $6500 for a standard international or $1,250 versus $11,500 for a tournament semi final. For perspective, that’s worse than the goal ratio between and in the Semi-Final of the men’s 2014 World Cup (had to get it in there somewhere).

Now, back to the meagreness. Matildas players reportedly earn a minimum base salary of $21,000 (below the minimum full time wage of $656.90 per week). The FFA calls that remuneration for part time work but reports from the PFA indicate the players are performing a full time role. Issue? Yes. We haven’t seen it yet but that disagreement could turn itself into an underpayment claim and another headache for the FFA.

And that’s not the only disagreement, as the FFA recently knocked back the PFA’s proposal for a paid maternity leave scheme which, among other things, would have James True had the FFA covering the cost of the children’s or carers’ costs during team camps. Lawyer Contrast that with the fact that Australia’s other champion female sports team, the Diamonds, receive those benefits and it starts to look like an own goal for the FFA +61 2 8216 3087 (had to get it in there somewhere). [email protected]

The FFA, like all employers, is under no obligation to provide a paid maternity leave scheme or to pay the players other than in compliance with the minimum wage or an applicable modern award or enterprise agreement. But the players have had their say and the FFA will have a fight on its hands if it wants to keep its business Marque Lawyers Pty Ltd afloat. Level 4, 343 George St NSW 2000 Questions? More puns? Give us a call. Ph: +61 2 8216 3000 Fax: + 61 2 8216 3001

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