'Unions need to unite in struggle against gov't, business'

In keeping with the theme of this year’s May Day celebrations, Unite to Fight, trade unionists urged one another to work together to save the labour movement from decimation.

All the leaders who spoke at the virtual event on Saturday criticised and accused the Government as well and employers of unfair practices.

Head of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union, Michael Annisette, sought to justify why the three federations left the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC).

Annisette said "not one piece of legislation was put on the parliamentary table" to address any issues affecting labour in the past five years.

"Do not ever stop using your intellectual vigilance. Never allow your mind to become defenceless. Use your God-given talents," he said to the working class.

"Let us continue to call on our ancestral fathers and mothers to guide us in this battle because this is spiritual, and we must understand that. Unite to fight under the banner of all the trade union federations."

Like other trade unionists, Annisette said several major issues of common concern were unilaterally decided by the Government.

He said such a move was contrary to what the International Labour Organisation (ILO) described as tripartism.

The National Trade Union Centre (Natuc), Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs (Fitun) recently withdrew from the council.

Head of Fitun Joseph Remy said the federations were convinced that the tripartite process was now a sham.

"We were very clear that tripartism is a process of social dialogue, as institutionalised by the ILO. It is one constituted by three major partners – Government, business and labour," Remy said.

"I stress on the issue of equal and independent partners. What we discovered over the years of being at NTAC is that it was being used as an arm of Government," Remy said.

Natuc president Watson Duke said May Day, which was first celebrated 132 years ago, in 1889, reminded him of a riot involving his forefathers at an estate in Roxborough in 1876.

Workers were protesting the terms of their working conditions.

A female worker was shot and killed, creating a riot that started on May 1 and ended on May 5, Duke said.

He said to date, workers in TT still faced many problems, such as failing to get a pension from the Government.

President general NUGFW James Lambert accused the Government of failing to honour many agreements.

He called on the Government to meet with unions to resolve matters amicably.

He said his union represents many essential workers. Yet, the Government has not mentioned trade union leaders on the distribution of the covid19 vaccines.

"This government has chosen to be anti-labour," he said.

Several other leaders spoke including Peter Farmer, secretary general of Aviation Communications and Allied Workers Union; Clyde Elder, of the Communication Workers’ Union; Trevor Johnson, general secretary Banking, Insurance and General Workers' Union; Antonia De Freitas, president of TT Unified Teachers' Association president ; Shiraz Khan, of TT Farmers’ Union; and Cassandra Tommy of the Amalgamated General Workers' Union.