The different actors in professional football cannot reach agreements to resume activity in the country. Is the Uruguayan Championship at risk?
He professional football in Uruguay is going through its third strike date in the midst of the union conflict carried out by players from clubs First and Second division, in demand for a salary recomposition for the second category. Is he at risk? Uruguayan Championship 2023?
The conflict that has stopped professional activity in Uruguayan football has already been going on for 16 days, after the Mutual of Professional Footballers of Uruguay (MFPU) declared unemployment after more than two years of negotiation with the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) for the creation of a new statute for the sector.
The players ask that the minimum salary for the Second Division equivalent to 62.5% of the minimum salary of the First Professional Division, which is 59,060 nominal pesos. Currently, that salary floor is 29,538 pesos. Although the AUF board is paying this increase, Mutual intends for the adjustment to be agreed upon in writing. Meanwhile, some “B” clubs affirm that they would not be able to pay the new salaries, and others in First Division question whether the money comes from the coffers of the AUF —and, therefore, of all the clubs.
On the other hand, the situation became even more complicated when the Union of Clubs —made up of Peñarol, Defensor Sporting, Danubio, Liverpool, Cerro, Cerro Largo, Fénix, River Plate and Wanderers— set as a condition for approving the statute that the Professional League Uruguay, in an action with political intentions recognized and the search for changes in the income distribution between the different clubs. Here there are new discrepancies, since the smaller clubs demand a greater participation.
The different opinions of those involved
Clubs that function as sports corporations (SAD) —Plaza Colonia, Deportivo Maldonado, Boston River, Racing, Montevideo City Torque and La Luz— agree with the increase to 62.5% of the “B” salary as long as the strike is lifted and, additionally, established 45 days to negotiate the rest of the points of the Statute. They also propose discussing the League at a later time, although there are disagreements about its scope and functioning. National, which is not part of the Union of Clubs, shares this position.
Meanwhile, the president of the AUF, Ignacio Alonso, understands that “the proposal is clear, it has no impact on the clubs’ economies and it has been ready to vote for at least three weeks.” The problem is that some issues continue to generate conflicts internal: among them, the reduction of the percentage on which youth players are hired – from 18 to 21 or under 18 -, injury insurance and that the scope of application of the statute is men’s football.
Faced with this situation of comings and goings, concern grows for the continuity of the Uruguayan Championship as the dates pass without football. In any case, there are only 38 games left to meet the goal. minimum number of matches in the season established in the contract with Tenfield —of 240 minimum matches, 202 have already been played—, so the conflict would have to escalate to even higher levels so that the tournament is cut short.
Source: Ambito
