National union of the professional footballers

The National union of the professional footballers or UNFP is a Association created the November 16th 1961 by two footballers, Eugene OJ Lea (then graduate in right), Just Fontaine, and a Juriste, Maître Jacques Bertrand. It is the main thing Syndicat of Footballeur S French professionals. Its current president is Philippe Piat.

The UNFP organizes, with Canal+ and the Team, a trophy electing each month the best player of the championship of France.

The UNFP also organizes each summer, and this since the summer 1990, of the training courses of drive for the players being at the end of the contract and who did not find a club.

History

The “footballers slaves”

Adoption of the professional statute in France at the beginning of the Years 1930 at the end of the Years 1950, the situation of the French professional footballer was poor. The situation was comparable besides in English football or the sports American pros. The leaders then had under contract the players with life, and the transfers were only fact of the clubs. Moreover, the wages were poor. After fifteen years of career, international the Thadée Cisowski touched only 400 francs per month in 1961, that is to say 20% of more than SMIC. The clubs did not hesitate besides to the minimum to reduce even the wages of their more famous players in the name of the principle than no club had answered a marketing favorably of the transfers. This market of the transfers were obviously fictitious because the asking prices were extravagant. It was in particular the case for Sedanais Thadée Polak, whose wages were reduced at least trade-union the year following the championship victory of France.

In March 1961, Eugene OJ Lea, Lyons player who prepared his doctorate in right, launches the idea to train a trade union of the players in the monthly magazine Football magazine : “Even the owners are organized! Yes, everyone is organized, except the professional footballer, who is sick.” OJ Lea did not remain at the stage of the ideas, and he initially thought of leaving on the basis an association type 1901, but on the councils the lawyer Jacques Robert, already in load of the cyclists and the sports correspondents, he directs himself towards a trade-union form which shapes between the end of the year 1961 and the beginning of the year 1962. OJ Lea did not prefer in becoming the first general secretary and left the presidency to Just Fontaine.

As of June 1962, the UNFP delivers its first combat against the Grouping to obtain a reform of the mode of retirement of the players pros. The Grouping wants nothing to know, and the UNFP launches a call to the boycott of the France-England international meeting of the February 27th 1963 in order to oblige the FF to take part in the conflict. Certain players of Valencians and the French Stage did not follow the call to the boycott, and the movement failed. The UNFP did not obtain any result until in 1964.

First reforms

In 1964, Raymond Kopa, exceeded by the opposition to progress of the leaders, fact of the declarations which make fly: “The footballers are slaves”. He inherits a six month old suspension and from now on is badly considered by the press, just like the presidents Just Fontaine (1961 - 1964) and Michel Hidalgo (1964 - 1969). Kopa becomes vice-president of the UNFP then, and puts all its weight in the balance to obtain reforms.

The Grouping recognizes finally the UNFP like legitimate trade union and the November 27th 1964, the first collective agreement is initialed by the Grouping and the UNFP, reforming the mode of retirement in particular. The era of the reforms can open.

The most delicate problem was that of the contract in time. The commission to treat this question was formed since 1965, but the famous contract in time came into force to France only in July 1969. Between these two dates, May 1968 and the introduction of publicity on the shirts of the players were two big steps. The head office of the FF where a streamer " football with the footballeurs" the frontage barred was thus occupied by players in May 68.

The contract in time was however an signification advance, and the executive team of Michel Hidalgo left the hand to that of Philippe Piat after this success.

Of the slave to the mercenary

August 1st

Presidents

1961-1964 : Just Fountain
1964-1969: Michel Hidalgo
Since 1969: Philippe Piat

See too

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