THE HISTORIC AFL Players' Association meeting over pay has ended without possible strike action being discussed and with players resolving to continue to work with the AFL on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The players voted unanimously to support three resolutions at the meeting.

The first asserted that the AFL's proposals to date had been unacceptable, but the second was to continue to negotiate with the League in good faith to achieve a positive outcome for all parties.

However, the third resolution authorised the AFLPA to consider the use of appropriate industrial tools under the Fair Work Act if those negotiations failed to bear fruit.

"I want to emphasise that strike action is the last thing on players' minds," AFLPA chief executive Matt Finnis said after the meeting that attracted about 400 players to Crown Casino in Melbourne.

Players also met in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, linked via video conferencing with the Melbourne gathering.

"They have instructed the association to explore their rights under the Fair Work Act if necessary down the track, but the prospect of strike action was not discussed tonight," Finnis said.

"Players have clearly indicated to us their commitment to securing a partnership agreement with the League whilst continuing to play football for their fans.

"Inevitably there is a lot of talk about strike action and strike action was not on the agenda tonight. The players could not be more committed to playing footy for their fans and for their clubs."

Finnis said it was too early to speculate on the sorts of actions that could be taken by the players in pursuing their rights under the Fair Work Act.

The meeting was scheduled shortly before the June 30 deadline for a new CBA after talks between the two parties failed to produce a resolution.

The main sticking point in negotiations, which began in earnest following the five-year, $1.25 billion broadcast rights deal struck by the AFL in April, has been the AFLPA's desire to secure a share - 25 to 27 per cent - of the AFL's total revenue, which the League has baulked at.

Finnis confirmed that the players had not modified the claim put to the AFL earlier in the year and refused to be drawn into characterising the breadth of the gulf between the two parties, other than to say that 'philosophical' differences remained.

Neither would he comment on exactly what sort of package the AFL had put on the table.

"We're not going to negotiate around what the AFL's offer is in a public sense," he said.

"We're available to meet with the AFL to progress those negotiations. We've talked with the AFL as late as today and we'll continue to make ourselves available to negotiate with the AFL to seek to reach an agreement."

Finnis maintained that there was no "trigger point" or deadline beyond which the AFLPA would seek to take action under the provisions of the Fair Work Act, which came into effect on July 1, 2009.

The website of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations says it is "a system designed to balance the needs of employees, employers and unions [that] will allow workplaces to become more productive and competitive without taking away workplace rights and basic conditions".

In removing the prospect of strike action, AFLPA vice-president Luke Ball was hopeful of improving the position of the players in the eyes of the football-viewing public.

"There seems to be days where we do have the support of the general public and days where that can probably fluctuate the other way," he said.

"It's certainly something that the players take seriously as well. We're not waging a war. We want a fair negotiation and we want a fair outcome for everyone involved - players, supporters, clubs; all stakeholders."

AFLPA president Luke Power was delighted with the turnout for the meetings across the country, but he said the unity of the players should not be misconstrued as an attack on the AFL.

"The players are supportive of what the [AFL] is trying to achieve and what the Association is trying to achieve," he said.

"There's no anger towards the AFL.

"The AFL are doing their jobs. They're very good negotiators, as has been shown in the past, but the thing for us is that we want a fair resolution and we want to do the best that we can.

"To represent our players properly we need to explore all avenues."

The current CBA, which expires on October 31 of this year, came into effect in 2007 and was heralded by then AFLPA chief executive Brendon Gale as a deal that "recognised the contribution players make to the game as well as delivering security and stability for players and the football industry alike".

Under the terms of the deal the total player payment (salary cap) increased from $111.1 million in 2007 to $131.6 million (or $8,225,000 per club) this year.

An increase in the minimum wage for rookies, first- and second-year players was also agreed to along with the provision of private health insurance, a $35 million contribution to the AFLPA player retirement fund and the introduction of more than $1 million in prizemoney for players representing teams in the finals each year.