
Toronto Wolfpack players have been paid around £750,0000 in unpaid wages after a GMB campaign.
The Canadian club folded in 2020 during the covid-19 pandemic, leaving huge sums in unpaid wages.
The Rugby League Players Association, a branch of the GMB Union which represents rugby league players in the UK, launched legal action to claim the money owed.
They negotiated settlements for all players who were GMB members, almost all of which were subsequently breached.
Now, after a five-year battle, a six-figure sum has been paid out to the players.
Pete Davies, GMB Senior Organiser, said:
“It’s a huge relief for those players to finally get the wages they were owed for so long.
“But it should never have got to this stage.
“The Rugby Football League, supported by the top clubs, admitted Toronto to the Super League, but denied them any access to equal payments from TV rights.
“When the pandemic kicked in the club had no access to the reduced TV money, covid loan support or furlough for their staff.
“Toronto never stood a chance,
"Unlike the RFL, GMB stepped in to help. Our lead rep Garreth Carvell worked tirelessly and relentlessly with former Toronto wolf-pack owner David Argyle to finally get this deal lover the line.”
Adam Sidlow, former Toronto Wolfpack player, said:
“Through the persistence, hard work and determination of Gareth Carvell, the GMB Union and others involved a positive outcome has been agreed and finalised in which David Argylle has settled his debts with us which was communicated and promised over numerous years.
“For a transatlantic team during covid it would have been impossible to keep going and I was gutted when all of the hard work leading up to gaining promotion to super league was stopped dead in its tracks and ended so abruptly.
“It was unfair on the fans, players, staff and all of the families involved. I only hope in the future the sport can expand again into North America because of the excitement and growth that was built in so little time in which the Canadians fully embraced the Wolfpack.
“Finally, the chapter can be closed and the employees that invested into the GMB union can move on.”