The trade union movement in T&T has a history, stretching back more than 100 years, to the founding of the Trinidad Working Men's Association in the late 19th century. Historian Gerard Besson writes on his blog in the Caribbean History Archives, however that, "the trade union movement in T&T really came into its own in the 1930s." It was in 1937 that the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) was founded. On June 19, attempts to arrest union leader Uriah Butler, who was at the helm of strike action in Forest Reserve, south Trinidad resulted in riots and the consequent death of two police officers and nine civilians. In commemoration of these incidents and the struggle of the past and present union leaders, Labour Day is celebrated annually on June 19. Besson describes the 1930s as formative years in the trade union movement. He notes it was the unionists who paved the way for "West Indian nationalism and political independence."
In their time they advocated for decent wages, also contributing to the granting of universal adult suffrage, he writes. But huge shifts in society and the world of work have taken place since the 1930s. Are trade unions relevant to present-day T&T? University of the West Indies lecturer Dr Rhoda Reddock, author of the book Elma Francois: the NWCSA and the Worker's Struggle for Change in the Caribbean, said the importance of unions depends on how effectively they utilise their platforms. "Trade unions will always be relevant. However, their actions would determine just how relevant they actually become," she said. Reddock said although only a small percentage of the working population was unionised, union actions affected all workers. Even though she believes they are still important, Reddock said local unions need to re-evaluate their practices to "respond holistically to the demands of the 21st-century context." "This is a difficult time for workers' movements the world over due to the current economic global crisis... but it is also a period with possibilities for new and creative approaches. For example, efforts to move beyond the mainstream constituency of employed workers," said Reddock via e-mail. Minister of Housing and the Environment Dr Roodal Moonilal said his grounding in the labour movement, which started with an education officer position in the Sugar and General Workers' Union in 1988, has informed his approach to politics.
He noted that his ministry had employed various former labour leaders to assist in the promotion of workers' rights and protection. Moonilal agrees that unions remain relevant to society and said most of the recent labour disputes, such as the TCL strike, are "somewhat routine." "There's nothing irregular or unusual about the recent conflicts; conflict is perennial. Employers and employees are diametrically opposed and will never have the same demands and interests," he said. Unions have lost membership and many have shut down operations completely since the 1970s, although there approximately 30 functioning unions at present. Moonilal says there are many reasons for dwindling union activity. "The decline of trade unions is due to economic change and reorganisation of production, in addition to a fall in membership. "But they still play an important role in influencing policy and programmes," he said. He says the signing of an agreement between the Community-based Environmental Protection & Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) and the National Entrepreneurship & Development Co (NEDCO) on Friday demonstrated the extent of trade-union influence on Government policies. But former Public Service Association president Jennifer Baptiste-Primus believes the decision by the Movement for Social Justice to leave the People's Partnership Government is proof that industrial relations will not be resolved in a civil manner in the near future. "One has to look at the withdrawal of the labour movement from the People's Partnership contextually. The Prime Minister promised that workers would become the centre of policies - and that has not been the case. They feel betrayed," she said.