LEAGUE NARROWLY AVOIDS PROPOSED STRIKE BY REFEREES

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Ahead of two of the Primera Liga’s biggest games of the season, referees from the country’s Primerea and Segunda divisions threatened to strike over unpaid wages. The issue stems from a dispute between the Football Federation (RFEF) and the Professional Football League (LFP) concerning which organization is responsible for paying the referees.

The strike was scheduled for the Friday before weekend games that include a match up of league giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and the derby game pitting Seville FC against Real Betis.

Top-flight referees are owed about EUR 12,500 each, referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez told Spanish daily newspaper El Pais.

“No worker can tolerate two months without pay. If we haven't received what we are owed by the 31st, we won't referee any more games until the matter is resolved,” Iturralde said. “Refs won’t go onto the pitch if problems between the two
organisations persist. We have gone two months without pay and are having to put forward money from our own pockets. Our stance is unanimous. All the referees from the First and Second Divisions are of the same mind.”

The strike was narrowly avoided when the LFP sent a letter to the referees in question, stating their intent to pay the back wages. Carlos del Campo, the LFP’s president, said disagreements came up over how wages were being paid, with the referees wanting to be paid directly and the RFEF planning on paying through the referees’ technical committee.

“In some aspects it seems like the RFEF is using the referees like a bargaining tool,” Del Campo said. “We have offered to pay and it seems officious that they (RFEF) should only accept payment by means of the referees technical committee. It’s no longer an economic problem rather a problem about who receives the money, which seems absurd to me.”