And so they should.
The Matildas are set to become full-time professional athletes for the first time after a bitter pay dispute over the disgraceful deal they receive in comparison to their male counterparts.
Fairfax Media reports that the Football Federation of Australia has offered contracted players a deal that would allow them to forego part-time jobs and receive the national minimum annual wage and finally be the professionals they deserve to be.
In early September the national women’s soccer team withdrew from training camp demanding better pay. The women soccer players have a contractual base salary of about $21,000 per annum, plus about $500 in match fees.
That’s 15 times less than the men’s national soccer team, the Socceroos, who got paid approximately $7,500 per match during the World Cup.
Related: The Matildas have withdrawn from training, demanding better pay.
The Matildas also sought changes to their work conditions including more flexibility in their contracts to allow players to pursue work overseas, as well as better travel conditions to ensure they’d be on par with their male counterparts.
Goalkeeper Lydia Williams said at the time “It simply unfair to continue to expect us to make enormous sacrifices to play for Australia.”
Fairfax Media reports that the FFA negotiated with the players’ union, Professional Footballers Australia and has offered a two-tier deal to the players allowing about 10 of the best selected to earn a minimum salary of $44,000 with the remaining half to be guaranteed the minimum salary before match fees and other bonuses.
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