Useless plan by labour

THE EDITOR: What does the labour movement hope to achieve by its proposed public demonstration today, a working day in a pandemic that is threatening the very lives of people, workers et al? One would have thought that if the official Opposition did not understand the seriousness of this pandemic, at least the labour movement would have.

It is a tragedy that the leaders in the labour movement are not prepared to face the reality of the present circumstances in the country and keep acting as if it is business as usual. It is not business as usual. There are undeniable facts that ought to be considered and appreciated.

Say what you will, the Keith Rowley Government handled this public emergency admirably despite the few hiccups. The private sector, even under economic pressure, came forward to lend a hand. And we owe a debt of gratitude to the health sector – doctors, nurses, auxiliary staff – for their exemplary service to our country. Sadly, the same cannot be said for others.

Today’s proposed public demonstration is counterproductive. It will not add new jobs, nor will it increase the wages of workers. It will not put more money in the Treasury, nor will it attract new investors. It will not assist businesses back on their feet. And it certainly will not stop the pandemic. In fact it may be a super spreader event. There is nothing to gain by having this activity.

Twenty-one years into the 21st century and the labour movement is still stuck in the 1930s-1940s protest syndrome. Riding on the shoulders of Butler, Cipriani, Rienzi and later Weekes and Panday was good at that time. Not now. The labour movement has to think outside the proverbial box and use its combined resources to help members and create new opportunities.

To the credit of the labour movement some effort was made in the 70s and 80s to do just that when the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union under Basdeo Panday operated a hardware store and the Oilfields Workers Trade Union under George Weekes a vegetable and livestock farm.

It was a time when Surujrattan Rambachan, as a UWI lecturer, actively promoted the concept of worker participation in the workplace, first articulated by Panday. And the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies was established to promote new visions for labour. After all this, why should the labour movement be mired in this unproductive syndrome of marching and demonstrating and rabblerousing.

HARRY PARTAP

former labour minister