Actually there is, the VdV – the “Association of Contracted Football Players” – with the specially chosen nickname “The Players’ Union”. But female soccer players have not yet had the right to vote there. An initiative led by national goalkeeper Almuth Schult is now setting up its own advocacy group.
The players of the Primera Division were already tried and tested when they were finally rewarded after a week and a half in September. In an eventful summer for Spanish football, the celebration of the World Cup title was overshadowed by the attack of the association president Luis Rubiales on the player Jenni Hermoso. When Rubiales refused to vacate his position despite widespread criticism, the national players demanded his resignation. Shortly afterwards, the players’ union presented “Futpro“The league also stopped playing, but this time it was about better working conditions.
On the edge of existence
The league finally responded to the union’s central demand and decided to gradually introduce a minimum wage of 23,500 euros per year. But “Futpro” immediately made it clear that this agreement could only be the beginning. Because what players everywhere are fighting for is not new: it’s about issues such as maternity protection, professional training conditions or special health insurance for top-class sport. The list could go on and on, says German national goalkeeper Almuth Schult.
Germany is lagging behind
In contrast to the Spanish league, there is a lack of adequate representation of the interests of the players in Germany. Schult is the best example of the difficult conditions under which games are played at the highest level in this country. In the 2021/2022 season she was the only active player who was also a mother. She was also the first to return to the field after a pregnancy since Martina Voss-Tecklenburg in the early 1990s. The reason why players rarely get pregnant during their careers “This is also due to the short term of the contracts”said Schult in an interview with Sportschau.
FIFA introduced new regulations in 2021, which, among other things, introduced maternity pay of 14 weeks. But in most cases, players are only tied to their club for a short time and run the risk of being left without a contract or prospects after maternity leave.
Players without voting rights
Standing up for better working conditions in professional football is actually one of the core competences of the “Association of Contractual Football Players” VdV. In men’s football, training pitches and cabins are in top condition, team doctors at all games and health insurance tailored to the requirements of competitive sport are a given. The fact that the VdV has not yet used its skills in women’s football is also due to the fact that women do not have the right to vote there.
Union without Collective bargaining
When asked, the VdV also justifies the lack of voting rights for women footballers with the lack of professionalism in the women’s federal leagues. If it were to start collective bargaining anyway, the VdV would run the risk of “endangering their collective bargaining ability and thus their union status”.
However, collective bargaining is not part of the union’s core business, as it has never conducted one in the 36 years since its founding. And although it is a stated goal of the VdV, they are prevented by the situation of labor relations in professional football.
Little prospect of improvement
According to the Collective Bargaining Act, collective bargaining is only possible between employers’ and employees’ associations that are based on voluntary membership. However, this does not apply to the DFB or the DFL, because membership there is mandatory for clubs. Establishing a separate, “voluntary” employers’ association would be possible for both.
However, Professor Berndt Keller, who has spent many years researching working relationships in and outside of sport, thinks this is unlikely: “It’s like tango, it takes two. And there is no employer who will agree to a collective agreement without necessity.” And the unequal interests of the players and their clubs, which was recently shown in the DFL investor question, also makes such a solution appear unpromising.
Unsuccessful conversations
The situation is different in women’s football: the financial differences between clubs and players are obvious, but the need for improvement in core issues such as contract periods, training conditions and medical care is omnipresent.
This was not the only reason why representatives of women’s football called for their active participation in the union in discussions with the VdV – but were ultimately unsuccessful. For some time now, a group that includes Almuth Schult has been working on setting up its own advocacy group for women’s football.
Labor dispute with obstacles
This year, an alliance is to be launched to fight for improvement. But the road seems rocky, not least because of the high utilization of the players. Many people work multiple jobs, leaving little time for fundraising and organization. This has already led to the founding having to be postponed from 2023 to 2024.
2024 will be crucial
The successes of trade unions in Spain and the USA should provide momentum for the new interest group. The new year will show whether enough players from the women’s national leagues will join the advocacy group to fight for better working conditions.
At least Almuth Schult wants to leave no stone unturned: “Strikes are not an issue for us at the moment. But we have seen in other countries that they can make a difference.”