The Italian players’ association is standing firm on its threat to strike if a new collective contract is not signed before the start of Serie A this weekend.

“The fact is that the season cannot start without a collective contract,” players’ association president Damiano Tommasi said Monday after meeting with players from all 20 clubs. “We’re hoping to start the season, because that would mean we will have signed the contract.”

The conflict between the players and the league has been ongoing since the last collective contract expired in June 2010.

The players set two strike dates during the first half of last season, both of which were avoided with last-minute verbal agreements.

Club presidents will address the strike threat at a league meeting Wednesday.

The main sticking point is article 7, a proposal that would allow clubs to force players no longer wanted to train away from the first team or accept a transfer.

“If the contract doesn’t get signed merely due to the interpretation of article 7, it means there are other motives,” Italian football federation president Giancarlo Abete said, according to the ANSA news agency. “And if that’s the case, then it would be a good idea to detail them directly.

“Among all the problems this country has, all this attention on this one point makes me ashamed to be a citizen,” Abete added.

Tommasi added that the players would pay a new tax that applies to high-wage earners, recently imposed by the government as part of its austerity package.

Citizens face a 5 percent additional tax on income above ?90,000 ($128,250) and a 10 percent additional tax on income above ?150,000 ($213,750).

Last week, Italian Cabinet Minister Roberto Calderoli lamented that the players are spoiled and should have the tax doubled.