Yesterday’s May Day
Critchlow, Cheddi and Chand – and Melas
It was Labour Day again yesterday. Over the past ten Labour Days I’ve been somewhat pained to contemplate the status and state of our divided trade union movement. Such as it is a “movement” these days.
I suspect that the late Father of Trade Unionism in this country, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, would be turning in his grave at the division amongst the trade union leaders and the working class, to a lesser extent. Critchlow would be more upset in his repose than Cheddi (Jagan) who took the workers’ struggle to the Colonial Legislature assembly a little after Critchlow. I suspect that Cheddi who died nearly forty years after Critch, would more understand the nature, politics and exploitation of the division than poor Critchlow who had to deal mainly with the wealthy private sector and those union leaders who declared themselves more academic and “intellectual”than he was.
