Spanish Soccer Referees Threaten Strike

Spain's first- and second-division referees say they will strike starting Friday if they do not receive two months of unpaid wages.

The debt is the result of a dispute between the country's soccer federation and its Professional Football League over which is required to pay the officials, El Pais said Saturday.

First-division referees are owed about $14,500 each, referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez told El Pais.

"No worker can tolerate two months without pay. If we haven't received what we are owed by the 31st, we won't referee any more games until the matter is resolved," Iturralde Gonzalez said.

A Spanish first-division referee earns $96,300 to $108,300 annually, the newspaper said.