Players likely to get an extra $70 million
Caroline Wilson
The Age
June 13, 2006
AFL footballers look certain to share at least $70 million more next season as negotiations between the players' union and the AFL draw to a close.
While a meeting between the two parties at AFL headquarters today is not expected to resolve what had loomed as a potential dispute, both sides have conceded they are close to an agreement that will see the collective bargaining agreement extended until the end of 2011.
A wage increase of at least 11 per cent — but no more than 14 per cent — in 2007 would be followed by 3 per cent increases in the following four years of the revised collective bargaining agreement with the AFL Players Association still pushing for further increases should new revenue streams emerge.
The AFL had originally placed a 5 per cent 2007 payrise offer on the table — in stark contrast to the AFLPA's early claim for 20 per cent — and has indicated to the 16 clubs it would fully fund the increase to the total players payments.
While the two parties are now expected to meet the self-imposed June 30 deadline, Brendon Gale and his AFLPA team are also pushing for a series of revisions to the current CBA involving players conditions.
Gale is understood to have received an undertaking from AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou that the league will consider a more effective insurance policy for footballers permanently injured in the game.
Under the present system players such as Geelong's Jason Snell have little recourse in terms of insurance claims, unlike their rugby union counterparts who, should a football injury end their sporting career, have an insurance facility upon which to draw benefits. The AFL system caters only for players drastically disabled or killed.
The AFLPA has also pushed for an end to player-funded end-of-season training camps such as Collingwood's trip to Arizona at the end of last season in which senior players each contributed about $3000, with younger players on the list paying a smaller amount.
The union is understood to have pushed the AFL to reduce stress upon footballers forced to undergo property audits and exhaustive bank and tax searches in the name of salary-cap management.
AFL investigations officer Ken Wood has powers, according to the players, exceeding those of the Australian Tax Office. Because the AFL was investigating Richmond along with several other clubs involved in property arrangements with its players, random players from all clubs were forced to hand over details of their property transactions to the AFL dating back several years.
If players are to expose themselves to property investigation Gale is understood to have insisted to the AFL that, should his players agree to a five-year wage deal those conditions must be met.The AFLPA must now turn its efforts to managing the expectations of its members, some of whom were expecting a 20 per cent payrise next season, with the same in 2008.
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