Absolutely no government ministers, including Labour Minister Errol McLeod, will be welcomed at Tuesday's Labour Day celebrations in Fyzabad. Emphasising this during an interview at the first public march in honour of Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler in Point Fortin on Friday night, OWTU president general Ancel Roget said, "Absolutely none, none at all. There is absolutely no indication for and or any welcoming of any minister."
In fact, he said, they would be dealing with each minister on the platform. "We will be dealing with issues with respect to all of those ministers on that labour day platform." That would not exclude David Abdulah, Movement for Social Justice leader, one of the arms of government, as he is a government senator, not a minister. Abdulah, also OWTU's secretary general, has been chairing the celebrations for many years.
Not allowing politicians on the platform was also a position taken by McLeod during his tenure as president general. Former prime minister and former trade unionist Basdeo Panday was the only politician to ever speak on the platform. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar participated in the annual Butler Labour Day march in Fyzabad in 2010, but she did not mount the platform.
Asked about Persad-Bissessar's delaying of her Cabinet reconfiguration until after Labour Day, Roget said given their ungratefulness and attack against workers precious little could be done to save the government. "I don't know that they can do any kind of arrangement that will satisfy the trade union movement." Reiterating the government did not have the support of the labour movement, he said they were awaiting the outcome of the reshuffle.
"But as I said before she could do it Christmas, New Year's, Boxing Day Emancipation Day, it doesn't matter to us." McLeod said they expect 19 trade unions and while all Public Service Association (PSA) members were welcome, the invitation did not extend to Watson Duke.
Asked about Duke, who was not at last year's celebrations, he said, "Watson who? We are talking about serious trade unionists, some 19 of us." He declined to say whether they would be having any guest speakers, but hinted, "Don't rule out a national shutdown."