Premier League players reject 30 percent pay cut in standoff

English Premier League players rejected a move Saturday by clubs to cut their wages by 30 percen during the coronavirus pandemic, escalating a bitter public row as their union claimed the government would lose out on about $245 million in tax.

“This would be detrimental to our NHS [National Health Service] and other government-funded services,” the Professional Footballers’ Association said in a statement.

Taking on the Premier League as a whole, the association said the $24.5 million being given to the National Health Service by the world’s richest soccer competition was “welcome, but we believe it could be far bigger.”

The union’s strident stance came after further talks Saturday involving clubs and the league as Liverpool became the latest Premier League side defying political anger by using a government bailout scheme to furlough some nonplaying staff.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock had told players at clubs furloughing staff to take a pay cut. Sports minister Nigel Huddleston reminded the Premier League to ensure it “helps the national effort.”

Liverpool, which leads the league by 25 points, followed fellow 2019 Champions League finalist Tottenham, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Norwich in furloughing staff.

Under a job retention scheme implemented to help businesses survive the national lockdown, staff can be put on furlough and receive 80 percent of their salaries from the government, up to a maximum of $3,000 a month.

Liverpool said it would top up salaries to ensure staff still received the full amount but that still means using public funds to pay some staff. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher called that a “poor” move, saying “respect and goodwill is lost” by the club.