Newton Sterling (front) is one of several players who believe it is time the Premier League players have their own union. - file

The players that currently form a part of the Red Stripe Premier League are keen on forming their own players' union to handle issues affecting them.

A players' association is not a novelty, as it is a feature of many of the top leagues across the world and the local players believe it is time they take certain matters into their own hands. The players are currently represented by the Premier League Clubs Association, which is headed by Edward Seaga, who is also the chairman of the Professional Football Association of Jamaica and President of Tivoli Gardens Football Club.

The players are, however, calling for an association comprising only players.

"I think to have a players' association with only players is very important, then we can defend other players with their issues at their clubs," Arnett Gardens' striker Newton Sterling said.

"Players are complaining that they are not getting their salaries on time or it is not enough and you have players in the league complaining that they are getting $10,000 and $15,000 monthly, which is just ridiculous. What if you have kids and bills to pay? That can't do it," Sterling argued.

The players are busy working out how the association can be formed and financed.

"It can be made up of one or two players from each club; the captain and somebody else," Sterling said. "We would have to pool our money together and every month a player puts $1,000 or $2,000, and we have our own lawyer to defend us," he added.

The players were gathered at the Red Stripe head office for a four-hour long Media Training Seminar staged there yesterday, where they were lectured by communication specialist Paula-Anne Porter-Jones on how to 'communicate the right image on and off the field'. Porter-Jones was assisted by Judith Bodley and Adrian Atkinson

Harbour View's Richard Edwards said that the initiative of forming the association is something he and fellow national representative Richard McCallum of Waterhouse have toyed with, but have met some resistance.

"Richard McCallum and I are trying stuff and ways of starting that initiative, but not every player in the league is cooperating, but we are working on it," Edwards said. "It (association) is very important because you will hear from time to time clubs cry out that they don't have any funds, but these clubs need to understand that these players have responsibilities and they have kids that are going to school and everybody has needs and wants, and if you don't pay these players you can't get the best from them," he added.

Boys' Town's Oneil 'Bigga' Thompson who has plied his trade in Norway and England believes that for the country's football to move to the next level a players' association is vital.

"It is everywhere around the world and if Jamaican football is thinking forward things like that should be implemented to let the players know that they have their rights," Thompson said.