Union gives Jets a serve over late player payments
By ROBERT DILLON
Feb. 18, 2015, 9:53 p.m
PROFESSIONAL Footballers Australia fired a broadside at Jets officials on Wednesday after Newcastle players were paid monthly wages that were two days overdue.
It was a case of better late than never for the players, who had been waiting for salaries that were supposed to have been in their bank accounts on Monday.
A number of Newcastle players are rookies, earning less than $50,000 per year, and some were believed to be at the point of asking PFA for special-assistance funding, which is provided to members in times of financial hardship.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the union said: "The PFA is happy to confirm that players' wages have been paid. Whilst the players and PFA are understandably relieved, we are extremely disappointed by the delay and the lack of communication from the club. The PFA will continue to monitor the situation at Newcastle Jets."
It is understood the four disenfranchised players Tinkler is trying to sack, Joel Griffiths, Adrian Madaschi, Billy Celeski and David Carney, received their monthly wages. All four, however, are still waiting to accept termination deals.
Carney, who is under contract for next season, will appear at an arbitration hearing on Friday to determine if he is entitled to a full payout worth more than $300,000.
Newcastle's players are supposed to be paid on the 15th of every month, but because that fell on a Sunday their salaries were due on Monday.
Jets chief executive Mitchell Murphy said on Tuesday that the wages had been delayed because the Tax Office had enforced a "garnishee order" on Tinkler's companies, enabling it to seize the monthly FFA grant used to pay players.
All A-League clubs receive a $2.55 million grant each year from FFA, in 12 instalments, to cover player wages.
Without this income stream, Tinkler had to source about $200,000 to reimburse his players of his own accord.
But if the tardy payments averted one potential crisis, Tinkler still has a host of outstanding liabilities to settle before his ownership of the embattled franchise can be considered secure.
An estimated $400,000 in employee superannuation remains unpaid, despite assurances from Tinkler that he would ‘‘get that met’’ last week.
If Tinkler is required to pay out, in full, his four unwanted players and sacked assistant coach Clayton Zane, that likely would cost him more than $500,000.
In addition, the NSW Office of State Revenue recently launched insolvency action to wind up the Jets over unpaid debts, and the matter remains listed for a directions hearing in the Sydney Supreme Court on Wednesday.
It is understood the debt is related to payroll tax and is a six-figure sum.
Tinkler and his former right-hand man, Troy Palmer, are scheduled to appear in Adelaide Supreme Court next month to face a liquidator chasing $5million that is allegedly owed to creditors.
There is an unspecified number of smaller creditors, including the Gold Coast woman who alleged in the Gold Coast Bulletin this week she is owed $33,000 after leaving Patinack Farm’s Canungra base in October.
She said she feared she might have to sell her family’s house.
FFA chief executive David Gallop warned Tinkler last week that he had a ‘‘matter of days’’ to resolve his outstanding liabilities.
‘‘There is certainly more that has to happen to get things on a stable footing,’’ Gallop said eight days ago.
‘‘They have taken some big steps. But there are remaining liabilities.
‘‘There’s some operational, structural, things that need to happen. We are still on a deadline, and we think it’s important that the pressure stays on to get these things put in place quickly.’’
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/28...yments/?cs=306
Originally Posted by Grimario
