It could easily be described as a divine decree for Fyzabad resident Doonath Maharaj to be involved in labour. Born one year after the formation of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU), and in the birthplace of labour, it seems Maharaj's 40 years of devotion to the union was written for him.
Today the 74-year-old father of two, who has since retired from the union, has no regrets and still wears his union jersey with pride. Maharaj, in a recent interview at his Fyzabad home, recounted serving under the leadership of John Rojas, George Weekes and Errol Mc Leod, all of whom, led successful strikes to strengthen unionism in Trinidad and Tobago. He said in those days "we were militant" and strikes were serious.
However, Maharaj steered clear of commenting on the recent 90-day Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) strike except to say OWTU president general Ancel Roget, "is doing his best." Maharaj, who began his career as a grass cutter at Apex Trinidad Oilfields in 1956, at the rate of 42 cents an hour, became an OWTU branch officer a year later. He also served as general secretary and received the union's highest award, the Labour Star.
He was also granted status as an OWTU honorary general council member. Maharaj served under the leadership of Rojas, the OWTU president general who led this country's first oil strike in 1960. He participated in the strike which lasted 18 days. "We rode bicycles to San Fernando from Fyzabad because there was no gas," Maharaj said.
Back then, Maharaj said, labour made its voice heard and being in a union was a matter of pride. Today, he lamented, the labour movement was not being given its rightful place in society. The public perception, he said, was that "labour is about strike and wage increases." This negative perception, he said, was further perpetuated by a fragmented labour movement. "If the labour movement is united we would be able to extract it (respect) from whomsoever is in office," he said.
Labour leaders, he contended, were still unable to bridge the gap and unite to speak in one voice. "The only thing that will save us is unity," he said. Maharaj was detained in 1971 when then president general George Weekes was arrested, together with others, for the alleged fraud of $5,000. A warrant was issued for him and his passport was seized.
He said: "I had no passport from 1971 to 1976. I was prevented from leaving Trinidad and Tobago until the United Labour Front (ULF) won (election) and in 1977 the Director of Public Prosecutions wrote a letter saying I was free to travel." Maharaj said he relived the sacrifices he, like many others, made to defend the rights of workers nationwide.
"We are disrespected in society. It is really, really sad because you could criticise the union officers and all of that but, if we take my case as an example, my children grew up without me. The hours I used to come home they would be sleeping and the time I would leave they were sleeping," he said. He said many trade unionists were committed to their workers while their families suffered.
This year the OWTU will mark its 75 years in labour and while it is still a strong voice in the industrial landscape Maharaj believes with a more educated membership expectations are high.
