SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - The Spanish Football League (LFP) and the Spanish Players' Union (AFE) meet but fail to stop La Liga strike scheduled for the weekend.

Record ID: 340163

  • Title: SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - The Spanish Football League (LFP) and the Spanish Players' Union (AFE) meet but fail to stop La Liga strike scheduled for the weekend.
  • Date: 23rd August 2011
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (AUGUST17, 2011) (REUTERS) MEDIA WAITING OUTSIDE SPANISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE (LFP) OFFICE PRESIDENT OF NUMANCIA CLUB VICTOR MARTIN FROM LFP ARRIVING FOR MEETING VARIOUS OF VICE PRESIDENT OF LFP FRANCISCO CATALAN ARRIVING FOR MEETING VARIOUS OF SPANISH PLAYERS' UNION (AFE), ARRIVING FOR MEETING (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) VARIOUS OF AFE LEGAL ADVISOR JOSE MAR
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain, Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5IHSDQ6SZWOKVNADCGVA4TK2Z
  • Story Text: Talks between the Spanish football league (LFP) and the Spanish players' union (AFE) on Wednesday (August 17) failed to avert the strike action called for this weekend
    "(In) Calling for a strike, AFE has very much tightened the rope," LFP president Jose Luis Astiazaran told reporters after the first meeting between the two sides since the strike was invoked last week.
    "And they have shown more harshness in their position than they have been demanding in meetings over the last two long months.
    "And of course, in only one meeting to find agreement on all the isues that have divided us in all the meetings that we had in the past, is complex and difficult."
    The AFE have called strike action for the first two weekends of Spain's top two divisions, which are scheduled to kick off on Saturday, demanding greater protection for players' wages at clubs who have gone into financial administration.
    "Over 1000 players, that is about 20 percent of Spanish football players of first and second division," Astiazaran added.
    "This is 20 percent of football players who have a problem getting paid but if we compared them with 20 percent of Spain's unemployment, these football players have a job."
    Representing the AFE, Luis Gil said: "Over 200 players, as you know, are not getting paid for a value of 50 million euros and what we want to resolve is the current very critical situation and create corrective measures for the future so that we don't have these kind of problems.
    "Our call (for a strike) is firm, it is the mandate of the players, we have to take care of their interests and as everyone understands, I reiterate, we are protecting their interests and their contracts, nobody here is asking for more money."
    Questions none
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