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Draft:Professional Footballers Association Canada

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PFA Canada | AFP Canada
Professional Footballers' Association Canada | Association des footballeuses et footballeurs professionnels Canada
FoundedFebruary 2020
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Location
Members
Estimated: 300 (2024)
President
Marco Carducci
Former President
Marcel De Jong
Executive Director
Dan Kruk
AffiliationsFIFPRO
Websitewww.pfacan.ca

The Professional Footballers' Association Canada (PFA Canada or PFA Can) (French: Association des footballeuses et footballeurs professionnels Canada or AFP Canada) is a Canadian player association and trade union affiliated with FIFPRO that represents mainly Canadian Premier League (CPL) professional soccer players. The union also provides representation services on demand to Canadians playing abroad or in non-union competitions in Canada.

History

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In the CPL's first year, former Canadian Men's National Team (CanMNT) player Marcel de Jong discussed with fellow Pacific FC and former CanMNT player Issey Nakajima-Farran, about the need for a players' association.[1] De Jong had noticed that player rights were not as well protected as in the three other countries he played professionally where player unions existed: The Netherlands, Germany, and the United States.[2]

In February 2020, De Jong and Nakajima-Farran met with fellow CPL players Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC), Jamar Dixon (Pacific FC), Kyle Porter (then with York9 FC) and Ben Fisk (Atlético Ottawa) to discuss the stand-up of a players' association.[3] De Jong had also contacted Dan Kruk, who worked with various trade unions, to help in standing up the association.[4] This small group adopted a set of by-laws, elected the first board of directors, and appointed Kruk as the association's executive director.[5] They canvassed their fellow players, and over 90% of them voted in favour of the union.[6] PFA Canada was officially born.

Players from FC Edmonton demonstrate in support of players' union recognition ahead of their match against HFX Wanderers FC on July 21, 2021.

The executive wanted to start organizing during that season's training camps. However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed their plans. The CPL unilaterally deferred and ultimately cut players' wages by 25%. The league also never consulted players on the schedule and playing conditions of the CPL 2020 Season which was held in a single location in Charlottetown, PEI. These unilateral decisions reinforced the players' belief about the need for a union.[7]

FIFPRO President David Aganzo provides support to the #RecognizePFACan movement in 2022.

Again in 2021, as the union was seeking voluntary recognition from the league[8], the CPL did not consult players in the initial phase of the 2021 season. On July 21st, 2021, players from four teams playing in the Winnipeg 'bubble' challenged the league by wearing 'Professional Footballers' Association Canada' t-shirts under their anthem jackets and over their game jerseys[9], in an effort to promote the demand for recognition. The league kept refusing, and the union aimed to get recognition in front of every provincial labour board.[10] In the same timeframe, the association sold scarves to fans and provided them to key stakeholders, using the hashtag #RecognizePFACan to promote the need for voluntary recognition.[11]

In parallel, in May 2021, PFA Canada became a candidate member of the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPRO) enabling Canadian and Canada-based professionals to take their place within the global football industry and athletes' movement.[12]

In June 2022, PFA Canada took part in the first General Assembly of FIFPRO Division Central and North Americas, which solidified its position with fellow CONCACAF player associations.[13]

In December 2022, the CPL players voted unanimously in favour of PFA Canada to act as their collective bargaining agent. The new CPL Commissionner Mark Noonan recognized the vote and the union as the representative of the players.[14] This started the process for a first collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the players and the league. As of 2024, the union and league are still negotiating the CBA.

In May 2024, PFA Can entered into a partnership with the International Betting Integrity Association.[15] The IBIA, and its members (Bet365, Betway, and FanDuel) designed a bespoke betting integrity education program for PFA Canada members and CPL players. This will help PFA Canada educate CPL players about the threat of sports-betting related match-fixing to the integrity of the Canadian Premier League, their own careers, as well as its potential to defraud sports betting operators and customers.[16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "How Langford became the hub of a Canadian soccer player's union movement". Capital Daily. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  2. ^ https://fifpro.org/en/who-we-are/fifpro-members/canadian-union-looks-to-improve-working-conditions/
  3. ^ "How Langford became the hub of a Canadian soccer player's union movement". Capital Daily. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Canadian union: "Our players are not golden spoon athletes"".
  5. ^ "How Langford became the hub of a Canadian soccer player's union movement". Capital Daily. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  6. ^ "How Langford became the hub of a Canadian soccer player's union movement". Capital Daily. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  7. ^ "How Langford became the hub of a Canadian soccer player's union movement". Capital Daily. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  8. ^ Press, Neil Davidson The Canadian (8 March 2021). "Marcel de Jong leads fight to organize CPL players, pointing to uneven playing field". Toronto Star. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  9. ^ "How Langford became the hub of a Canadian soccer player's union movement". Capital Daily. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  10. ^ Press, Neil Davidson The Canadian (8 March 2021). "Marcel de Jong leads fight to organize CPL players, pointing to uneven playing field". Toronto Star. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  11. ^ David Aganzo tweets supports for PFA Canada
  12. ^ "History". PFA | AFP Canada. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  13. ^ "FIFPRO Central and North America have first general assembly".
  14. ^ "Canadian Premier League and the Professional Footballers Association of Canada joint statement". Canadian Premier League. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  15. ^ "PFA Canada in the news". PFA | AFP Canada. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  16. ^ "IBIA and PFA Canada join forces to provide sports integrity education to the Canadian Premier League" (PDF).
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