Debunking myths used to silence labour (part 1)

OZZI WARWICK

Part I

IT IS INTERESTING to observe that every time workers assert their rights, or seek to exercise their constitutional right and freedom of expression, the term productivity is mentioned, sometimes with no link to the issue at hand.

However, there is never any real clarity by those who would like to somehow suggest that productivity is the antithesis of workers’ rights.

Even when workers are raising concerns such as crime, health, education, corruption or governance, somehow the only response by either the Government, some other class interest or commentators is to suggest inaccurately that workers only want more money.

When workers raise concerns about the mismanagement of state enterprises, whether it is Petrotrin, T&TEC, WASA, NP etc, the only simplified response is to claim that these bodies are over-staffed.

In other words, it does not matter what the issue is, once workers speak out there are only three general responses: “need for productivity, workers only want more money, and the state enterprises are overstaffed.”

Finally, when none of these responses are having any effect, the last-ditch effort to scrape up some kind of response is to claim that the trade unions do not have any solutions.

The conclusion has to be that there is in fact no real or rationale response to workers taking action to advance their class interest. None of these responses are based on facts or reality.

So now let us analyse these responses, starting with productivity.

It is very interesting to note that there have been no real suggestions by the commentators, including government ministers, as to what is meant by improving productivity. It therefore appears that it is the simple formula of workers must work harder, longer and in any condition for the low wages they receive.

That simple formula has proven to do the opposite of improving productivity, and to actually contribute to low productive levels. The unions have argued over and over again that the country needs to look at total factor productivity.

In other words, we have to talk about the many man hours wasted in traffic, lack of proper equipment and tools for work, constant violations of collective agreements, poor and negligible management decisions, mistrust and antagonism between workers and employers, unsafe and unhealthy work environments, poor worker morale, and the rampant corruption throughout the State.

What is a fact is that it was the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) that actually organised a public policy forum on productivity on December 3, 2015, which was also publicised in the local media.

In fact, JTUM president comrade Ancel Roget was reported in the media as stating and emphasising the need for growth and productivity and not austerity to bring us out of economic difficulty. He is reported as stating:

“Austerity has failed to increase productivity, therefore in times of recession the country would need to focus on growth and incentivising the nation’s workforce towards growth and productivity to come out of recession.”

Therefore it is inaccurate for anyone to suggest that trade unions do not speak about productivity, especially since these comments were made publicly and not in any closed meetings.

During that same JTUM forum on productivity, the ILO representative stated that productivity is about efficiency and effectiveness and it is not the same as profitability. The representative made it clear that cost cutting does not improve productivity and it is not solely about labour efficiency or labour productivity.

We must also not conveniently forget that it was the union (OWTU) during the last Petrotrin negotiations that proposed linking payment of back pay with increased production. It was also the same union that proposed and established a joint productivity committee in T&TEC.

Tomorrow: Part II

Ozzi Warwick is the chief education and research officer of the OWTU and general secretary of JTUM