Player strike halts Italy's big kick-off

(CNN) -- The Italian football season will not begin this weekend due to a player strike over the league's collective bargaining agreement.

The AIC, the body which represents footballers in Italy, has taken the action in protest against two changes the league want to make to the contract.

Serie A, the country's top division, want the power to force players in the final year of their contract to train away from the first team.

In addition, clubs are attempting to make players pay a solidarity tax which applies to the game's top earners.

"The Players' Union takes into account the Lega's decision to turn down our last proposal and hence, confirms the intention of not going out on the pitch for the first round of Serie A games," read a statement from AIC president Damiano Tomassi.

"The AIC is confident however that we will see the collective agreement signed by the presidents of Serie A, in compliance with previous commitments, allowing the resumption of the regular season."

Tomassi, 37, spent 10 years as a player with Roma and was part of the Italy squad which was eliminated at the second round of the 2002 World Cup.

The season was due to open with defending champions AC Milan visiting Cagliari and Fiorentina facing Siena on Saturday.

"Our assembly has been very clear," Serie A president Maurizio Beretta is reported to have said in British newspaper The Guardian.

"We cannot sign a contract when there are two points that are under dispute, that of the solidarity tax and players training away from the first team."