To Life Members, Members and All Umpires and Families,
I hope you have been safe and well during the past few weeks in a challenging time for everyone.
Status Update
As you may be aware, Covid-19 has affected the AFL Industry greatly in recent weeks. These unprecedented times have had a major impact at all levels from AFL clubs, to AFL staff through to our community clubs and their members. The AFL is committed to getting a season underway in 2020 but must work closely with the various NSW Government bodies to ensure this can be done in a safe manner for all our clubs, umpires and volunteers.
Over the next few weeks our clubs will return to small group training under very strict protocols and guidelines. This will be a phased approach and will rely solely on advice from Government and health experts as we move through the phases until we get some certainty around a return to competition matches. Once a start date is confirmed via the NSW Government, AFL Sydney umpire groups will look to resume training. This will be approximately four weeks before the season commences. At this stage no date is confirmed for either, but we will be in contact with further information as it comes to hand.
The Association Committee have been in close contact with AFL Sydney during this time, planning how we can return to the game in a safe and timely manner for all umpires and support our community clubs who are feeling the financial burden through these challenging times.
As we look to return to the game in the coming weeks in what will be a modified season, the Committee has worked with AFL Sydney in reviewing our match day payment structure for the remainder of the season. This is in line with the National Guiding principles for umpiring and has been a focus for all umpiring leagues through NSW/ACT.
It is the opinion of the NSWAFUA that it is appropriate to reflect this at community levels accordingly and fall in line with AFL and NEAFL based umpires who have already agreed to an adjustment in their contracts.
Our clubs contribute to our match day payments for the entire season (excluding finals) and it will be extremely difficult for them to continue operating on a shortened season with decreased revenue streams. Even as we look to return, for the safety and well-being of the community, there may continue to be restrictions around canteen operations and social gatherings, further reducing club revenue.
How This May Affect Umpires
For the remainder of the 2020 season, the committee on behalf of our members and the community, have agreed in principle to:
- Reduce normal match day payments by 45% of normal 2020 rate
- Maintain a training bonus for meeting training criteria at an adjusted 10% of normal rate (down from 20%)
- Maintain full match day payment for finals appointments but relinquish additional bonus payments
- Maintain all travel allowances if an umpire is eligible
While we understand this has an impact on each of you, we feel strongly that this is appropriate and the right thing to do as we work through this challenge together as a football community. It is the hope of the AFL and the Umpire Association that all umpires will be able to return under these conditions for this very different AFL season. Umpires remain a critical component of the AFL Sydney community.
Your Feedback Matters
To ensure we have maximum community support behind this proposal, we are providing an opportunity for you to ask questions, provide input and constructive feedback prior to the Committee signing off on this temporary agreement.
You may email with your feedback or questions. Your communication will remain confidential within the Association and we will only seek to share overall community sentiment with AFL Sydney when we pass along this feedback.
We will require any feedback or questions by no later than Friday 5th June to ensure we can get the wheels in motion for the remainder of the season.
I look forward to seeing everyone when we eventually return!
Trav S
President
NSWAFUA