TT’s trade, labour and political dynamics have evolved in the 51 years since Labour Day was first observed with a national holiday.
But some issues which led to the proliferation of leaders and groups dedicated to the redress and well-being of the working class, continue to draw the attention of labour leaders today.
Labour Day is celebrated on June 19 in remembrance of the Butler Oilfield Riots, which occurred on that same day in 1937.
Riots began in Fyzabad after police attempted to arrest Grenada-born Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler, who organised a peaceful meeting of overworked and underpaid oilfield workers.
The attempted arrest led to violent clashes between workers and the police. Workers attacked oil installations, police stations and symbols of colonial authority, which was viewed as indifferent to the plight of workers.
The global economic downturn of the 1930s, the Great Depression, severely affected TT, contributing to high unemployment, poor working conditions and low wages.
[caption id="attachment_1091183" align="alignnone" width="1024"] STRENGTHENING THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY: Jacqui Koon How adjusts a costume at a mas camp in San Fernando. - File Photo[/caption]
Agriculture was TT’s economic driver but the oil industry was rapidly growing, becoming one of the largest employers.
Common among the two sectors, workers faced harsh conditions, long hours, meagre pay, poor healthcare and housing.
The riots spread from San Fernando to Port of Spain, involving workers from various industries, including railway, sugar, cocoa and others that have ceased or barely exist.
The colonial government declared a state of emergency and deployed police and military forces to suppress the riots.
Numerous workers were arrested, and several were killed or injured in the clashes.
Butler remains a national hero, honoured with a highway and statue as reminders of his defining role in the labour movement.
His and his peers’ efforts haven’t been in vain. By any measure, workers in the services, construction manufacturing and energy sectors experience better working conditions today.
Since TT gained independence in 1961, trade unions and the wider society have worked with the government to introduce legislation to protect workers.
These include the Industrial Relations Act (1972), an act which governs the relationship between employers and employees, trade unions and employer organisations, and one that labour leaders say needs some revisions.
The act established the Industrial Court to adjudicate industrial disputes and protect workers' rights to join and form trade unions.
Still, “Labour legislation needs amendments,” said David Abdulah, economist and well-known leader of the Movement For Social Justice (MSJ), a political party rooted in the trade union movement.
[caption id="attachment_1091181" align="alignnone" width="1024"] David Abdulah, economist and leader of the Movement for Social Justice. File photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
“Amendments are needed to ensure that we have an easier and
