The Associazione Calciatore Italiana (Italian Players Association, or AIC) has announced that footballers in Serie A will strike during the upcoming weekend of 11 and 12 December. The impending walk out is due in large part to an unresolved dispute between the AIC and Lega Calcio over a new and improved collective contract.
Serie A Players Announce Strike For Weekend Of December 11-12
The previous contract which guaranteed players’ rights expired on June 30 yet the league has taken no action to resolve the issue, besides agreeing to talk. A first strike was set for September but the AIC called it off due to their earlier agreement with Lega Calcio to enter into negotiations.
The aforementioned unresolved dispute comes in the form of top flight clubs denying the AIC the benefit of reopening talks over new contracts, which involves the basic rights of players. Serie A President Maurizio Beretta has expressed his sadness over the matter and has described the matters as “without precedence in history”.
As found on BBC Football, Beretta went on to state:
“The union refused to listen to the intervention of the federation president, which included the issue of players outside the squad. At that point they got up from the table and left”.
On the other side of the battle is AIC Vice-President Leonardo Gross who stated the AIC’s willingness to talk and negotiate but seems set on the dates of 11 and 12 December for the strike to commence when talks broke down. Gross states:
“The strike has been called for 11 and 12 December. We are very sad because there was a willingness to find an agreement”.
Why is the AIC unhappy?
In large part, the AIC deems matters unfair when the league often forces players who are in the final year of their contract to transfer to another club and train away from the first team. This ‘perceived lack of protection’ remains the biggest area of disagreement between the two parties.
Serie A fixtures on 11 and 12 December that will be affected:
Saturday, December 11 -
Palermo Vs. Parma
Udinese Vs. Fiorentina
Genoa Vs. Napoli
Sunday, December 12 -
Bologna Vs. AC Milan
AS Roma Vs. Bari
Brescia Vs. Sampdoria
Cagliari Vs. Catania
Lecce Vs. Chievo Verona
Juventus Vs. Lazio
Note: Inter Milan and Cesena are the only two Serie A clubs currently not affected by the 11 and 12 December strike due to Inter’s participation in this year’s FIFA Club World Cup which takes place in the United Arab Emirates from 8-18 December. The two were set to play each other over the weekend of 11 and 12 December and will be forced to reschedule as Inter will be away for the annual tournament.
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