- The Founding of the NWU

The National Workers Union was founded out of a split between the PNP and the Trade
Union Congress (TUC) in 1952. It began with Noel Nethersole as its president anD
Florizel Glasspole as the general secretary. Michael Manley the son of Norman Manley
was one of their assistants.
The NWU started its activities in labour representation by organizing and eventually
controlling the bauxite industry from its inception. The union set precedence by
successfully making an ability-to-pay claim on the bauxite industry. In the process of
negotiation the union held a seven-week strike against Alumina Jamaica in 1953. This
dispute was eventually sent to be arbitrated by an English Barrister-at-law named
Honeyman.
Following on their success in the Bauxite Industry the union focused on breaking into
sugar which was the stronghold of the BITU. Leading the union in this task was Michael
Manley, who was the unions first Island Supervisor. The union won polls in three
estates, namely New Yarmouth, Bernard Lodge and Frome, giving itself a valuable
foothold in that strategic industry in 1954.
The NWU grew rapidly and soon out-stripped the TUC and began to seriously challenge
the BITU for dominance in the labour movement. With their membership growing and
their success in the Bauxite Industry giving added support, the growth of the NWU
assisted in the success of the PNP in the 1959 general election.
Following the PNPs success, the NWU continued to organize and compete with the
BITU or dominance in the labour scene. In 1957 the NWU established a foot-hold in the
Banana Industry, another of the BITUs domains. Throughout the 1960s the NWU was
involved in several land-mark disputes. Among these were the Jamaica Omnibus
Service (JOS) strike in 1963 and Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) strike in
1964. The JBC strike in particular, under the leadership of Michael Manley, galvanized
public support for the aggrieved workers. Even though the workers involved in the
strike were a relatively small group of skilled persons, through the use of civil
disobedience and a national go-slow, Manley was able to force concessions from a
resistant government and eventually a Board of Enquiry was set up to settle the dispute.
The NWU during the 1960s was also noted for the high level of representation they
made to the many Commissions of Enquiry that were set up to settle longstanding
disputes in Bauxite, Sugar and other industries.
The NWU has played an active role in promoting collaboration and cooperation of the
Trade Union in the 1970s and 1980s. Although Michael Manley, who was the first Vice
President, resigned this post in 1972 to become Prime Minister, he continued to work at
strengthening the unity of the labour movement. As Prime Minister, Manley laid the
groundwork for the formation of the JTURDC following discussions with the Norwegian
President. After his defeat at the poll in 1980, he returned to the union and became the
President of the NWU, a post he held until 1989, when his party was successful at the
polls and he became Prime Minister of Jamaica. Manley also played the lead role in the
passage of a number of labour legislation during the 1970s, such as the Labour
Relations and Industrial Disputes Act; Maternity Leave Act; Redundancy and
Termination Act; Equal Pay for Men and Women; Minimum Wage Act. During his
administration the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the Workers Bank were also
established to assist the working class.