MAY DAY is our day; set aside internationally to commemorate our centuries of struggle. The world over, labour not only celebrates but assesses its gains and victories , its setbacks and failures and lays the basis for the future. We in Guyana must do the same.
In 1919 the first trade union movement was formed by Hubert .N. , the British Guiana Labour Union. Later he became known as the father of trade unionism. He was born in 1884. He decided to form a Trade Union to allow workers to have a say in improving their working conditions, increasing their pay, having proper homes and medical attention. He saw that the workers were not receiving enough money for themselves and their families.
Many of them worked long hours and lived in cramped houses and others in a few rooms called logies. Most of them were very poor. In the yard of the Parliament Buildings stands the Statue of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow the great fighter of all workers. In 1946 a 29 years old Dr.Cheddi Jagan moved by the horrifying conditions which existed at plantation Port Mourant and beyond decided to divert his dentistry practice to the task of the poor and suffering. He joined the M.P.C.A., then the sole bargains agent in the sugar industry and rose to the position as its treasurer. Dr. Jagan soon resigned as he was against company unionism. In 1947 he joined Dr.J.P.Latchmansingh G.I.W.U. in a view to provide genuine representation.
On June 16, 1948, tragedy struck. Police shot and killed 5 striking sugar workers and wounded 14 others. The 5 are referred to as the Enmore Martyrs. The Enmore shooting led Dr Jagan to pledge his entire life to the cause of the struggle of the Guianese people against bondage and exploitation. The union which continued to champion the workers interest was later renamed GAWU. Mr. Ashton Chase, former Labour Minister, wrote “by May Day 1951 the powerful influence for unity cast by the PPP forged a united parade in Georgetown. From 1951 the Trades Union Congress began sponsoring the May Day marches and in 1958 the PPP Government declared May 1 a public holiday, replacing Empire Day, May 24th. History was recorded. Editor, while the Trade Union Movement has made some important strides, the movement and the workers as a whole have many barriers to progress. The accountability of labour leaders to their membership specifically, and to the movement generally, will certainly have to be increased. This more than anything else, will increase the influence of the ordinary workers in the day to day work of the movement.
Let us not divide ourselves into different bodies; rather, we should work towards creating one international workers organisation capable of defending the interests of all working people.