Late payment could cost A-League clubs in new pay deal

A-League players are calling for clubs to be automatically sanctioned if they fail to remunerate players on time as part of a three-pronged push to thrash out a pay deal.

After close to a year of talks, AAP revealed last month negotiations had broken down when players voted against two separate collective bargaining agreement (CBA) proposals tabled by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).

The A-League Men and A-League Women are currently the only major sports competitions in Australia to have no CBA in place, leaving the APL exposed to the threat of industrial action.

Earlier this month the APL attempted to reignite talks for a one-year CBA by offering to raise the ALW salary cap to $900,000 per season and agreeing to provide a roadmap to fulltime professionalism in the women's game.

Players have been encouraged by the movement in negotiations and as part of a counterproposal put forward by their union - Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) - have asked for three items to be addressed by the APL.

The first is to ensure clubs are policed and punished if they fail to pay wages or superannuation on time.

At least five clubs are understood to have done so in the last 18 months and the PFA will push for the APL to impose stronger deterrence in the form of financial penalties if clubs struggle to fulfil their payroll obligations on time.

Secondly, players want ALW athletes who fall pregnant or give birth to be automatically handed a contract extension as part of the expanded parental leave improvements the APL has tabled.

As well as supporting mothers, the PFA has asked for additional parental leave for fathers.

Furthermore, players also want greater checks and balances over the direction of the A-Leagues.

The APL has previously agreed to establish a strategic committee group to revitalise the domestic game, with players given a seat at the table through an advisory committee.

But players will not agree to a salary cap for the 2027/28 season and beyond if they feel sufficient progress hasn't been made.

"At APL's invitation we have put forward a proposal that provides a pathway to address shared reform objectives but importantly ensures accountability," PFA chief executive Beau Busch told AAP.

"These relate to contract security, non-payment protections and sanctions, maternity coverage and, crucially, strengthened game reform commitments to give the players the necessary confidence that the APL are genuine.