The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) says it is seeking the least embarrassing way of dealing with Roslyn Smith who continues to report for duty despite having been retired as General Secretary (GS) a year and a half ago.
NUPW President Akanni McDowall said today he and Acting General Secretary Delcia Burke are working together to try to resolve the situation which saw Smith reporting for duty yesterday and today insisting she is still GS.
Asked how the union planned to deal with the potentially awkward issue where Smith turns up for work he said, “The first thing is for us to resolve it amicably. Failing that, we may have to seek further advice either from our internal organs or from our legal counsel. But the aim is for us not to cause any embarrassment to Sister Smith or to exacerbate the existing situation unnecessarily,” McDowall told Barbados TODAY.
He also said he will be asking the executive to help Smith through any issues she may be having.
“I will recommend to the executive to offer any assistance possible that Sister Smith may need to help her through whatever process she may be going through,” the union leader stated.
Smith’s surprise move to report for duty came two days after Barbados TODAY broke the news that Acting General Secretary Delcia Burke was retiring at the end of the year and the post would be advertised.
Smith, the retired general secretary, brought an unfair dismissal case against the NUPW in July last year, and it is still before the Labour Department.
The veteran unionist, who is almost 67, is alleging unfair dismissal and is claiming close to half million dollars in compensation.
When reached yesterday by phone at the NUPW Dalkeith Road Headquarters in St Michael, the embattled disputed union leader declared:”These people retired me when I was in hospital. I had not retired…”
Smith had been hospitalised for an extended period last year with an undisclosed illness.
Today, McDowall like Burke, contended that the union had already taken the decision to retire Smith since March last year and the vacancy would be advertised.
In fact, he told Barbados TODAY the process for a new full-time leader was well advanced.
“Council met and decided that a subcommittee would look at the process of the selection of general secretary. I am told by the chair that they have concluded their discussions. It is for us now to have a council meeting to discuss the recommendations coming from that committee,” he said.
However, he declined to give details, pointing out that the council first has to meet and examine the recommendations.
Turning his attention to the unfair dismissal case before the Labour Department, McDowall said the union was still awaiting word from the department on the way forward.
“We are just waiting to hear from them. We have not received an update from them since our last meeting. So we are really waiting on an update from the Labour Department on Sister Smith’s case,” he said.
“The council has been very clear in its position, The position of council has not changed. I do not want to get into the mind of council to say whether or not that position has changed. But the discussions we have had so far on Sister Smith’s case have been very clear…and those decisions, I believe, stand,” the NUPW president added. (emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb)
