Serie A opener in doubt - League to meet this week over new collective contract

Posted Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by skysports.com

Serie A opener in doubt - League to meet this week over new collective contract
Tommasi: AIC president threatening strike this weekend

The Italian Players' Association have threatened to strike ahead of the start of the Serie A season this weekend, unless a new collective contract is agreed.

The old agreement expired at the end of the 2009/10 campaign and talks have been on-going ever since.

Representatives of all 20 top flight clubs are set to meet in Milan this week to negotiate the deal.

The president of the players' association (AIC), Damiano Tommasi, said: "If the contract is signed, we will play on Saturday or Sunday. Otherwise, we will stay at home.

"There is time as the league will meet on Wednesday."

The AIC are looking to prevent clubs who force players to move in the last year of their contracts.

It is a similar situation to the industrial action taken in Spain, where there were no matches played in the top two divisions last weekend due to an argument over unpaid wages.

This weekend's fixtures are also in doubt with the dispute still unsettled.