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Australia’s women footballers get landmark equal pay deal
SYDNEY, Nov 6, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Women footballers playing for Australia’s
national team will earn the same as their male counterparts under a deal
unveiled Wednesday and hailed as landmark for gender equality in sport.
Under a new centralised contract system announced by Football Federation
Australia (FFA), Matildas stars such as Sam Kerr and Ellie Carpenter will be
paid an equal amount as big-name Socceroos like Aaron Mooy and Mat Ryan.
They will also be afforded business class flights to international fixtures
and tournaments, like the men.
The breakthrough will be a big boost for America’s women footballers, who
have filed an equal pay lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation due to be
heard in May next year.
The United States triumphed at the Women’s World Cup in France this year
with chants of “equal pay” ringing out after they defeated the Netherlands in
the final.
“Football is the game for everyone, and this new collective bargaining
agreement is another huge step toward ensuring that we live the values of
equality, inclusivity and opportunity,” said FFA chairman Chris Nikou.
– ‘What we always dreamed of’ –
Under the four-year deal, through the next World Cup cycles, the Socceroos
and Matildas will receive a 24 percent share of national team revenues,
rising by one percent each year.
In other words, the better they do, the more they get paid.
FFA chief David Gallop said it was the “Socceroos’ choice to share the
revenue”, and national captain Mark Milligan said women were getting “what
they deserve”.
“It’s been clear for everybody how much the women’s game has grown over the
past few years and how well our Matildas have been doing,” he said, adding
that the success of the World Cup in France, where the Matildas were knocked
out on penalties in the last 16, underscored this.
“It really drove home for me in these negotiations that they got what they
deserved. Going forward, what a value they are to the Australian football
community.”
From the national revenues, the players have agreed to plough five percent
back into Australian youth national teams, guaranteeing a minimum level of
investment for future generations.
There has also been an increase from 30 to 40 percent in players’ share of
prize money earned on qualifying for a World Cup.
Matildas midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight said the deal showed “respect”
towards women.
“As a female footballer, it’s kind of what we always dreamed of,” she said.
It follows a more general deal struck earlier this year that will see all
professional female footballers in Australia receive the same minimum wage as
their male counterparts.
– ‘Unique’ deal –
Professional Footballers Australia chief John Didulica called the agreement
“unique” in world football.
“We believe it sets the model for where all federations and players — male
and female — can take the game to unlock the incredible social and
commercial opportunity that, in particular, women’s football presents,” he
said.
Australia has emerged as a champion for equality in the sports arena with
netballers and women cricketers also winning better pay deals in recent
years.
Earlier this year, 17 sporting chief executives in Australia all threw
their weight behind a drive to close the pay gap and advance all aspects of
women’s sport.
Only last month, the International Cricket Council announced a 320 percent
increase in prize money for the women’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia next
year.
It still left women earning less than men at a similar tournament,
prompting Cricket Australia to pledge it would make up the difference to
ensure parity with the men’s winnings for its team.
A handful of other sports have also moved to address gender inequality,
with the World Surf League for the first time this year paying equal prize
money following a backlash on social media.
Tennis was a leader in introducing equal pay for women at the Grand Slams,
with the Williams sisters among the most outspoken on pay parity.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1023 hrs