Madrid (AFP) – Top-flight female footballers in Spain have agreed to suspend a playing strike after securing an agreement to reopen negotiations over pay, it was announced on Monday.
All eight Primera Division matches on Saturday and Sunday had to be postponed as players chose to boycott fixtures following more than a year of unsuccessful talks with Spanish unions and clubs.
But the Association of Women’s players (AFE) has confirmed negotiations will resume until December 20.
“After the success of the strike, an agreement has been reached to work on the proposal,” said the AFE.
Players are demanding part-time salaries be worth a minimum of 12,000 euros ($13,297), which is 75 percent of the minimum amount for full-time contracts.
Clubs had proposed part-time salaries of 8,000 euros but the AFE has suggested the Association of Women’s Football Clubs (ACFF) is prepared to give way.
“Due to the strike, the footballers have managed to remove the red lines around the 75 percent for part-time contracts and 16,000 euros minimum salary,” the AFE added.
Ainhoa Tirapu, goalkeeper for Athletic Bilbao and the Spanish national team, said last month: “We are footballers 24 hours a day, 100 percent of the time.
“We hope to reach an agreement at some point but we had to take drastic action because the time for women’s football is now.”
