Players need unions - Roberts encourages sportsmen/women to represent themselves

Head of the Hugh Shearer Labour Studies Institute at the University of the West Indies Open Campus Danny Roberts says that national football players should form a union to mediate and address their concerns in light of the present situation between national player Leon Bailey and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).​

JFF general secretary Dalton Wint threatened disciplinary action against national forward Leon Bailey, who said during an interview recently, that the federation is an obstacle in the Reggae Boyz’s path to qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Phoenix Sports Management, which represents Bailey, responded, indicating that his statements were “his human right to free speech and opinion”.

Roberts says that unionising would be the best way to address their concerns as a collective body and that the current spat between Bailey and the JFF could be a means for the national players to venture into this direction. 

“It certainly provides a basis for professional players to seek to better have their issues represented by a true fraternalism, bringing together their interest under the collation of an association that can speak on their behalf. It’s the way to go because as we can see, the collective voice provides some kind of balance to the power and sway of other organised groups,” Roberts told The Gleaner.

“This may be the catalyst that forces them to begin to look at and to examine how it is they can establish themselves into that united force.”

Roberts said that there are no legal challenges for players to organise such a union if they so choose. 

“One of the first things that you want is to make sure that there is a reasonable balance of power between the two contending parties in order to get the best result. The second important consideration is that negotiationg for one’s interest doesn’t have to be represented as an antagonistic thing,” he said. “People want to have their interest satisfied. You seek to acquire value, and you also seek to create value.”

He also underlined the importance of clearly stating the union’s objectives to set the right tone for long-term dialogue between parties.

“What is important is that in the development of the players’ association, it is made very clear in their objectives [that] it is an attempt to enhance the sport and there is equity and fairness and justice and that the interest of all the parties is taken into account for a win-win outcome,” Roberts said.

“If that is set out very clearly, it begins to ease any discomfort one may have.”
Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda also supports athletes creating their own organisations to serve as intermediaries with their respective federations. 

“I support an athletes commission in the context of the objective of serving the athletes’ interest, ensuring that their rights are protected and ensuring that they have a vote at the table and influence the development of sport,” Samuda said.