Universidad Chile Colo Colo 2024 2

Chilean union lifts player strike: "We are extremely satisfied"

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Universidad Chile Colo Colo 2024 2
  • SIFUP decided to end player strike that had been going on since the end of December
  • The agreement with the Chilean football federation covers the 11 points detailed in the union's petition
  • "It is a product of the work that was done with players and club presidents," SIFUP President Gamadiel Garcia told FIFPRO

Chilean footballers' union SIFUP has successfully negotiated its demands with the country's football federation (ANFP) and on the evening of Thursday 23 January lifted the strike voted at the end of December by all captains of the three professional divisions of Chilean football.

After a long day of negotiations with representatives of the ANFP Presidents' Council and the Chilean government's Labour Directorate, SIFUP announced the end of the strike in a statement.

"The Association's Assembly agreed to respect the 11 points of the document sent by the captains of the professional teams," reads the statement, referring to the petition submitted to ANFP on 5 November.

"The most urgent measures put forward by our union will be implemented at the start of the 2025 season, while others will be worked on in a commission that will last six months with the Directorate of Labour.

"We are extremely satisfied with the agreement," SIFUP President Gamadiel Garcia told FIFPRO. "We know that it is not 100 percent of what we were proposing but it is an important foundation to be able to start a much more professional working approach.

"We are very happy that the negotiations, despite how hard and long they were, came to a good conclusion and that is the result of the work that was done with the players and club presidents."

Garcia valued the power that SIFUP has had in the conflict and the internal clarity to explain it and achieve success. "For our union it is essential that players, beyond the union, know what is happening and understand why these extreme situations [the strike] occur, but when we are united and we know that they are for a cross-cutting benefit, a common cause is generated, ideas are amalgamated and things are taken forward much more easily."

Thanks to the agreement, the Supercopa de Chile between Colo Colo and Universidad de Chile will be played on Saturday 25 January, while the start of the Copa Chile has been rescheduled for Sunday 26 January.

To learn more about the origin of the strike, read this article published by FIFPRO.

Chilean footballers on strike: "We trust in the strength of SIFUP"