Concerns after the absence of a collective agreement: "Regrets the situation"

The issue of a new collective agreement has developed into an infected story.

All the elite players on the women's side are currently without a collective agreement and when the pre-seasons have started there is a concern that the players risk being without a salary in case of injury.

- Our members are disappointed with how the situation looks, not least because the agreement was terminated without there being any plan for when a new one can be in place.

It was the employer's side that terminated the contract, so they have to take responsibility for the fact that the players are quite unprotected right now.

A collective agreement would give the players more protection, says Magnus Erlingmark, secretary general of the Players Association, to SVT Sport.

How does the situation affect the players?

- There is a concern, especially among those who are already injured and who are thinking about what will happen in the future.

We want to have an agreement ready as soon as possible, but since there are no negotiations taking place, it is difficult to get a place in the near future, says Magnus Erlingmark.

"Can't do anything but regret"

Last week a meeting took place between the Players' Association, the Union and the Employers' Alliance which led nowhere.

No new date has yet been set.

- We can only regret the situation that is right now, we want the players to be protected.

But there are no negotiations going on at the moment, but we hope that the Players' Association will hand over the negotiation mandate to the Union, says Maria Liljedahl, head of negotiations at the Employers' Alliance, to SVT Sport.

Elite Women's Soccer is also concerned that the players do not have the coverage that players in other sports have.

- It depends on whether they are insured or not.

If they are not, there will be problems for that individual, they can be bailed out of the system quickly.

It is the same way in other contexts in working life, says Tomas Hoszek, general secretary of Elite Soccer Women to SVT Sport.

"Up to every club"

According to him, it appears in the media that it is EFD that does not want to negotiate, but that is not true.

- There doesn't seem to be anything going on, I've been working on this for three years now and we've always gone back to square one.

What happens if there is no new contract when the season starts?

- Right now I don't know what is happening, in the end it will be up to each club with working conditions for players and that is not what anyone wants, says Hoszek.

- There must be a solution, it would be ridiculous otherwise if it couldn't be solved.