DYNAMOS players downed tools in protest over outstanding winning bonuses and signing-on fees, putting their home league fixture against Chicken Inn tomorrow in serious jeopardy.
Players who spoke to NewsDay on Friday vowed that they will not play Saturday's fixture unless they receive their bonuses.
They said they are owed winning bonuses for 12 of the matches that they won this season.
A scheduled training session Friday morning failed to take place after the players refused to change into their training gear.
The technical team led by coach Genesis Mangombe arrived at the training venue just after 9.30am, and set up for the start of the session but ended up leaving around 12.30pm without any ball being kicked.
Marathon meetings between the players and the club's chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze who was accompanied by board member Musa Gwasira failed to yield anything.
Overzealous club security details tried to conceal the strike by chasing away invited journalists who had arrived for the club's weekly press conference, which is held at the training venue every Thursday before the start of the team's training session.
Players said they decided to go militant because the club is dithering on their promise to pay outstanding winning bonuses and signing-on fees.
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Dynamos, who pay their players a minimum of US$100 and up to US$300 as winning bonuses, have won 16 matches in all competitions this term.
But according to sources, the players only received bonuses for four matches.
"The decision wasn't easy because we respect this institution, but we feel that the respect is not being reciprocated. We raised this issue a long time ago, and we even threatened to go on strike in September before the game against Bulawayo Chiefs, but were advised off it by the executive with the promise that they would pay us," a player who refused to be named for fear of victimization said.
Dynamos went on to lose the match 2-1.
The player said the club's executive, in their desperation bid to win some silverware this season, hiked the winning bonuses to US$300 each for a selected number of matches against so called big teams and title rivals including Highlanders, Caps United, Ngezi Platinum Stars, Fc Platinum, Manica Diamonds and Chicken Inn.
"We won seven games against the big teams in all competitions, so it means a player who featured in those matches is owed more than $2000 in winning bonuses. They have been promising to pay, but are not delivering so we just felt enough is enough," the player said.
"We will not play against Chicken Inn unless they pay us. But we know they are going to force us to play. What it means is that we will just go there to fulfill the fixture, so the fans should not expect much from us in that match. We had a meeting with the CEO and he promised to look into our grievances before the Sunday match."
Players said what is even more disappointing is that the executive is failing to pay winning bonuses when the bulk of the club's costs are taken care of by principal sponsor Sakunda Holdings which pays salaries for players and the secretariet.
Another source said most players are not happy because they have not received their signing-on fees, claiming that some have not been paid from last year.
"The situation is bad. We are disgruntled as players and these cracks have been there since the start of the season, but were peppered over by the good campaign that we have had so far. I believe if we didn't have these problems, we could have easily won the league title this year. If we don't win it, it would be their (executive) fault, and they know this," he said.
The players' salaries are up to date, thanks to the sponsorship package from Sakunda Holdings.
No comment could be obtained from the club.
Dynamos are third on the log standings with 51 points, nine behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars with three matches remaining.
