Roberts moves on

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

Danny Roberts, former vice-president of the National Workers Union (NWU) and its affiliate, the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees, has resigned from that organisation.

Roberts, known throughout Jamaica as an outspoken advocate of the working class, confirmed to The Gleaner that he has stepped away from the NWU after spending 24 years at the organisation.

The resignation takes effect at the end of the month.

"I am going to explore other areas in the field of industrial relations," Roberts said.

"There needs to be greater emphasis on education and training of the working class if they are to make a meaningful contribution to national development."

The Gleaner understands that Roberts could be part of a group of persons drawn from academia, the private sector and trade-union movement which plans to establish a consultancy to deal with human resource management, employment and labour-relations issues.

However, Roberts declined to comment, saying it was too early to speak about his plans in detail.

His name has become synonymous not only with the NWU, but contemporary trade unionism in Jamaica. He is, by his own admission, a protégé of former prime minister and colourful trade unionist Michael Manley.

As he spoke, it was a Manley line that Roberts quoted to justify his decision.

"Michael used to say nothing can stop a process … . That time has come."

PNP affiliate

It was National Hero Norman Washington Manley, the first president of the People's National Party, who was instrumental in forming the NWU as an affiliate organisation of the political party.

Asked whether he was also walking away from politics, Roberts, a former chairman of the PNP Youth Organisation, declared: "I still intend to be close to the PNP in another dispensation, but not under this dispensation."

It is unclear whether there has been a healing of a rift that developed in the NWU after Roberts challenged long-time colleague Vincent Morrison in a scorching contest for the union's presidency in 2006.

Roberts lost in the bid for the top job.

Efforts by The Gleaner to contact Morrison failed.