Canadian women want pay dispute settled before leaving for World Cup

Players on the Canadian women's soccer team have told Canada Soccer they want the issue of remuneration at the World Cup settled before they board the plane to Australia.

There is not much time. The Canadian women are scheduled to report to a pre-tournament camp in Australia's Gold Coast on June 28.

"We're not at a point where we're not getting on a plane, but time's coming where we want it done so as players we're not having to deal with it while we're trying to prepare," said Canada captain Christine Sinclair.

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Canada Soccer and its men's and women's teams have been embroiled in a labour dispute for more than a year.

"Obviously there has been a lot of changeover at the CSA (Canada Soccer) in recent months," Sinclair told The Canadian Press. "We knew this was going to be a fight. We knew it was going to take some time.

"But us as a women's team have flat out told the CSA that we need a deal in place for at least the World Cup and this year before we head down there. So obviously we're getting close. I think it will happen. Will it be a long-term deal? No. But something will be done before the World Cup starts."

Canada Soccer was asked for comment, but did not respond immediately Wednesday.

The women, who formed the Canadian Soccer Players' Association in 2016, have been without a labour deal since the last one expired at the end of 2021.

They struck an agreement in principle with Canada Soccer on compensation for 2022, but say other issues have yet to be resolved.

The men, who organized last summer as the Canada Men's National Soccer Team Players Association, are working on their first formal labour agreement.

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Both teams have taken job action. The men boycotted a planned friendly in Vancouver against Panama in June 2022 over their dissatisfaction with the progress of the labour talks.

Earlier this year the Canadian women threatened to down tools at the SheBelieves Cup in the U.S., but reluctantly returned to the field after Canada Soccer threatened legal action.