PFA on Wednesday issued a media release saying FFA had "taken the unprecedented step of withdrawing recognition of Professional Footballers Australia (PFA)".
The release said this followed on from FFA terminating the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding "that has underpinned the game's relations with its players for the past eight years".
The World Game has since learned either party had to give one month's notice of termination of the MOU. It runs out on Friday - August 14 - which means FFA effectively took the action last month.
Negotiations between PFA and FFA on a new, "whole of game" CBA covering players from the A-League, Socceroos and Matildas in the one agreement, had continued in the meantime.
But when FFA issued a media release on Tuesday confirming "significant changes to the Hyundai A-League Salary Cap and Player Roster framework with the release of the Hyundai A-League 2015/16 Player Contract Regulations", all bets were off.
PFA responded with a release of its own on Tuesday evening, in which it vehemently objected to FFA's move. It questioned how FFA could introduce contract regulations while the CBA negotiations were ongoing, and how genuine those CBA negotiations were as a result.
PFA on Wednesday said FFA had subsequently withdrawn its recognition of the players' union.
In its release today, PFA CEO Adam Vivian is quoted as saying, in part: "FFA has left the PFA and the players with no option but to take the necessary steps to secure the rights and wellbeing of Socceroos, Matildas and A-League players under Australian industrial law."
TWG has since spoken to a PFA representative and asked what that meant in terms of possible strike action.
The representative said PFA "refused to rule out strike action". The representative said striking was "a last resort" and that PFA would try other means of working out an agreement with FFA, but that "everything was on the table" in terms of possible courses of action.
Asked if the FFA Cup, which is now through to the round of 16, and the start of the A-League competition, on 8 October, could possibly be disrupted by players refusing to play as recommended by PFA, the representative said that could not be ruled out.
But it would be unlikely that next month's World Cup qualifying match for the Socceroos would be threatened.
Asked if the players were all on-board with PFA, the representative said: "The PFA is the players. The PFA is run by players, for players We've been in close contact with them and they are 100 per cent with us on this."
The governing body released a statement in reply to PFA, in which Chief Executive David Gallop expressed his surprise at the claims made by the players' union.
"FFA is shocked by the inaccuracies in the PFA's media comments of yesterday and today," Gallop said.
"FFA continues to be committed to ensuring an appropriate MOU is agreed between FFA and the PFA, as part of a CBA, and any assertion that FFA intended to move forward without a CBA or MOU is wrong.
"FFA will continue to recognise the PFA and the role it plays and was preparing for an agreed face-to-face meeting with the PFA regarding the CBA this morning, which was cancelled by the PFA after the scheduled start time.
"FFA's stance throughout the CBA negotiations has not wavered from its desire to acknowledge the important role of the players in the game's growth by aligning current and future salary increases to the current economic landscape and sustainable growth of the game at all levels.
"The deal offered to the PFA, if accepted, would deliver the best ever deal for Australian professional footballers across the A-League, Socceroos and Matildas."
"This comes at a time when A-League clubs face economic challenges and are looking at investing in facilities and academy systems for the long term future that will see sustainability for decades to come.
"The fact remains that the current MOU expires this week. After eight years, the details of some key aspects are now outdated due to agreed changes over time and need to be altered to reflect the current landscape, which the FFA is committed to resolving.
"The changes to the Player Contract Regulations for the upcoming season were tabled, negotiated and implemented in good faith in line with the obligations under the current MOU and communicated to the PFA at the same time as the Hyundai A-League clubs, which have been waiting for these regulations to properly plan their squads for the up-coming season.
"We totally reject the PFA's claims regarding the nature of the negotiations, which from a FFA point of view have always been conducted in good faith and with a desire to reach agreement."
