Received from: PFA
Congress demands union recognition for all workplaces and to campaign for the introduction of collective bargaining across all sectors of the economy. The PFA has a long-established position in English football as the representative of all professional players in the Premier League and EFL. Through the solidarity of the players, the PFA has been able to play a key role in how football is run and has ensured that players’ employment rights and terms and conditions are amongst the best in the world. This has not always been the case with the union having to fight for recognition and challenge restrictive practices such as the maximum wage and the retain and transfer system.
Congress agrees that with the pandemic impacting heavily across all parts of the economy, it is more important than ever that workers have a strong voice and have access to strong and effective representation through collective union engagement. Even in the football industry where there is solid support from members and agreements in place with the Leagues, clubs are still attempting to impose measures rather than seek agreement in the first instance.
In sectors where workers lack strength and face hostility from employers, the situation is much worse. If we are to rebuild our economy and level up in the process, then it is vital that workers play a key role, with collective bargaining and union involvement an essential ingredient of this.
Professional Footballers’ Association