MSJ: Country's 'economic controllers' benefiting from covid19 as workers suffer

AS workers face hard times now, they should look for inspiration to the struggles of the labour movement in 1937, to confront those who hold power in this society, urged the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) in its Labour Day message.

"On this day we remember those “warrior workers” who 84 years ago took their destiny into their own hands in order to fashion a new society and a better life for themselves and their children. We applaud them for the sacrifices that they made – some paid with their blood, others lost their jobs – and salute them for the victories that they won."

In the message, signed by political leader David Abdulah, the MSJ said the victories of the June 19, 1937 Revolution had been hailed by St Lucian economist Sir Arthur Lewis and Tobagonian social historian Dr Susan Craig.

Lewis had said, "It is mainly on the development of this united labour movement that future progress in the West Indies depends.” These successes were political independence, the establishment of rights of workers, setting proper working conditions, wages and terms of work by collective bargaining; and State's role to provide some equity in the society and equal opportunity for all.

Craig had said the workers of 1937 were in a huge battle against the controllers of economic power such as the oil companies, the sugar estate owners, the foreign banks and insurance companies and big merchants, plus the controllers of political power, that is, the British colonial authorities.

The MSJ said, "The future nature of the society rested on the outcome of this epic battle. If the controllers of economic and political power won, then we would have remained a colony for very many more years. Workers would have continued to be exploited in the worst possible ways."

With the labour gains came a political revolution, including land settlement, fixing minimum wages, expenditure on public works and slum clearance, old age pensions and workmen’s compensation. The MSJ said the controllers never gave up their power, despite making concessions, even with new political parties emerging upon national independence. "In whose interests would these parties govern - the interests of the workers and poor, or in the interests of the controllers of economic wealth and power? They govern for the few, not the many."

The MSJ said many had lost during the pandemic and the accompanying recession but not all.

"When hundreds of thousands are out of work, some have lost their homes and cars and many small businesses have closed down and the self-employed are barely able to survive, children are going hungry, parents don’t have the money to pay rent and other bills, children don’t have devices or wi-fi so they can’t join their online classes, big capital is making more profits!" The MSJ said several banks and major conglomerates had reported bigger profits.

"This can’t be right! It means that even as the national economic pie is getting smaller, those at the top – the controllers – are getting bigger and bigger pieces of the pie. The majority has to do with smaller pieces and many got only crumbs. More gain for the few, more pain for the many!"

The MSJ blamed this on neo-liberal policies from successive governments in the past 15-20 years.

"Make no mistake, fundamental changes are taking place, to the detriment of the majority. The society is being reshaped. The economy is being reorganised. The labour market is being restructured."

The MSJ said the changes are enriching and empowering the economic controllers of Trinidad and Tobago, which trade unions get weaker, with workers’ rights under attack.

"There is only one way out of this crisis. As in 1937, it is only the power of the people that can confront and take on the power of the controllers. This is the urgent task that workers and the labour movement must consider on this June 19.

"If we don’t succeed then the TT of tomorrow will not be a good place for our children and the lives of the many will not be better."