The American “Solidarity Forever” trade union battle song was meant to say it all: in unity there is working-class strength; strength to negotiate workers’ rights even though there should be no need to have to “bargain” for just rewards. “For the union makes us strong“, the song proclaims.
Though Guyana was not China or Cuba when Burnham and Bharrat were finished with Guyana’s labour “movement”, the bargaining agents were compliant and compromised, rendered toothless with some leaders reduced to taking vehicles and/or Board appointments mainly for their personal survival. (One union’s elections even once mirrored the mischief of past general elections; there seemed to be a President-for-life).
Over the years I’ve offered my layman’s perspective of trade unionism in Guyana. Among my more pointed “coverage”; Ashton Chase’s comprehensive history of local unionism; insights from Cheddi Jagan, N.K. Gopaul, Harold Lutchman, T. Anson Sancho, among other experienced and academic knowledgeables; you might realise how I relished Leslie Melville’s description of and pleas for the “employed poor”- the country’s public servants who seemed to be treated with contempt by their employer- the government; and I have attempted to justify trade unionists as parliamentarians even as I would often sing the praises of my national hero- Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow.
So that was/is me and trade unionism here. I spent 22.5 years “socialising” in the Public Service Headquarters Club. As Burnham made some unions “affiliates” of his Ruling Party, I experienced, vicariously and directly, the birth of the first FITUG. Much later I would do some editing for the Region’s largest union GAWU. So from PNC to PSU to CLC and GAWU, I had some exposure to the machinations of both politicians and trade unionists.
Despite the glorious attempts by Pollydore, Blair, Semple, Lall, Carrington, among others, unionism was more shadow than substance. Now we have President Granger’s administration, its promises and position, both as employer and enabler. And I was actually in the National Park on Sunday Labour Day 2016!
“Unity”, Granger and Lewis
First I record here my full support- however temporary- for Lincoln Lewis’ positions at Sunday’s Workers’ Rally. Whatever Lincoln’s inconsistencies, partisan leanings and human frailties, he was- to me – superb as a Guyanese unionist, representative, activist on May Day.
Even though I would agree with a young reporter’s view that the “unity” between TUC and FITUG is/would be “fragile”, I evoked my own memories of H.N. “Skibby” Critchlow, the “Black Crosby” from some of Lewis’ fiery remarks.
Now, I’m referring to President Granger in the context of this piece simply, or partly, because we now have no full-fledged Minister of Labour. (Even though we are blessed with ministers of Cohesion, Governance, Indigenous Affairs and Citizenship.)
The President’s Finance Minister was splendid in his first Budget presentation: $11M allocated “in an effort to strengthen the capacity of local trade unions to better represent the right of workers.” One small welcome step! Then there was the restoration of the Critchlow College subvention. And the President himself, at his first major consultation, announced the establishment of a Public Service Training College. Great! I always wondered: If the Police, Army, Teachers, Nurses and (now) miners all had formal training programmes before getting into stride on the job, why not Public Servants? We must welcome this structured institutionalised training entity. Professional, dedicated Public Servants are necessary to man our national agencies of government. Score ten for the President.
But how could Lincoln be faulted on Sunday?
Since this government is being held to higher standards compared to the past anti-union group, it was most welcome to hear returned adherence to collective bargaining- that is employer and employee-reps negotiating salary and non-salary satisfaction. So quoting international covenants, local labour laws and our Constitution, Lewis called for talks between union and government, now! No commission of Inquiry to hold up what is the law, he proclaimed.
He represented the sugar workers – “show your cohesion now government” – miners, teachers, police etal. “If your 50% would lessen corruption, consider the same for your employees; fight your perception of corruption” he seemed to be saying. And in plugging a real “green economy”; in asking for a comprehensive plan, I smiled when Lewis reminded that “a green economy doesn’t mean painting up and dressing in green!” Levity aside, Lewis was hard to contradict on Sunday. But who was listening?
Arrival, cohesion, douglahs
Just two different takes to recall yesterday’s arrival observances relevant to the coming of labourers from the Asian subcontinent. I mean Indians, specifically.
The serious perspective: Evidence of how bad the early indentured “immigrants” were treated. Will Clay, foreman of Vreed-en-Hoop (1838): “The coolies were locked up in the sick-house… the day after they were flogged, their backs were swollen… when they run away they get two or three lickings… with the cat-o-nine-tails… tied with a rope around a post and licked on bare back…
Rose (a former apprentice) testified: “they get beat as bad as my matties during apprentice… when flogged at the manager’s house, they rubbed salt and pickle on them coolie backs…
Now the humorous: When the former slaves did not return to the fields after apprenticeship (1838/1839) the males had no or little cash. It appears that the male Indian immigrants – short of their own women – “helped out” the African ladies’ households. Result? The governor wrote his colonial secretary reporting that “the male immigrants are getting on well with the negresses.” Hence, Guyana’s first douglahs! They cohered and cohabited in the interest of harmonious relationships between their two groups. Happy arrival…
Jubilee and Jamaica: I’ll return to this next time but Mr Lee Houston has a point. The private promoters are flooding the month with the Jamaican (Dance Hall) artistes. Impressionable Guyanese youth are thus immersed continuously as the dollars go one way.
What? The Department of Culture is bringing “vintage” Guyanese to perform? Okay, more later.
’Til next week!
