Individualism vs collectivism

THE START of the Industrial Age saw the need for workers to unite to get fair wage and working conditions that are humane. That was the rise of collectivism and the birth of trade unionism throughout the world. The 1937 Butler Riots saw the birth of trade unionism in Trinidad and Tobago. During the period 1937-1965, trade unions enjoyed a surge with many unions being formed and fighting on behalf of the working class for better terms and conditions of employment and a living wage. There was a clear understanding of the need to unity in the struggle.

In Europe and the US, workers thrived as they negotiated better salaries and improved terms and conditions of work. The employer class was forced to accept that workers deserved a reasonable piece of the pie. In TT, the government, in an effort to curtail what was described as “wildcat strikes,” passed the Industrial Stabilisation Act. However, the collective remained strong and resilient with unions successfully negotiating fair compensation packages for workers.

The introduction of the Industrial Relations Act of 1972 saw an attempt to soften the more draconian Industrial Stabilisation Act but still curtailed the ability to take meaningful worker action. This situation continued until the recession of the 1980s and the introduction of what was described as “Thatcherism” and “Reaganomics.” This era of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan totally changed the way governments treated workers and trade unions. Terms such as rightsizing and downsizing became an integral part of the vocabulary of economists, together with the introduction of individual contracts for workers.

Individualism was promoted through the issuance of these individual contracts with special terms and conditions of work. It was hailed as the human resource solution to ensure efficiency and to compensate those who were more productive. This philosophy of “I better than we” permeated as far down as the school system with schools promoting excellence of individuals in academics and at the same time disregarding the philosophy of community and co-operation for the better good. The principle of “What’s in it for me” has now taken hold, throwing out the principles of collectivism and volunteerism.

During the era of Reagonomics and Thatcherism, trade unions suffered tremendous loss of membership as workers were being lured into this false narrative of “I must see about me.” This movement towards individualism has now matured with workers in many sectors unable to negotiate reasonable terms and conditions because they no longer have a union to represent them.

As we navigate the covid19 pandemic we have seen how important collectivism is because employers are making unilateral decisions about work and how it must be done. Many workers have felt the brunt of financial losses through dismissals and closures of businesses. In many instances these businesses will soon reopen under new names and continue as usual with little loss to the owners, having already made enough profit prior to the pandemic.

The deep-seated thrust to individualism continues to show its head even at the level of the trade unions with many union leaders putting their egos first and not the membership. There is continuous strife between umbrella union bodies that, rather than unite the movement as they have been created to, often militates against such efforts.

At the same time the employer class has united under the Employers Consultative Association, sharing their resources and expertise for the benefit of all employers. The ECA continues to offer training in industrial relations and all related matters. Additionally, they offer services in collective bargaining, mediation and representation at the Industrial Court. Clearly the employer class is well-aware of the virtues of collectivism while promoting individualism among their employees.

It is time for the trade union leaders to take a step back and observe the landscape because the situation is not looking good. Several recent policy decisions seem to signal a definite attempt at hastening the demise of the movement to the detriment of the working class, as evidenced by the ongoing privatisation of several state enterprises.

If trade unions fail to get together and mind their business, they will soon find themselves in the annals of the past and workers will be back to the 1937 era when worker rights were just a dream.