Celebrating Labour Day in our Twin Island Republic

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Today it's Father's Day and the 49th annual Labour Day holiday in Trinidad and Tobago, a particularly important day as we are provided with the opportunity to highlight some of the founding fathers and mothers of the labour movement in our country which has shaped so much of our lives today.

Trinidad and Tobago is a former colony of the British empire. We gained Independence in 1962 and became a Republic in 1976. As such, we are considered a relatively young country. Even so, despite our youth and small size as a nation, there are many men and women who contributed to the political and judicial framework that guides our society today. The continued contributions of the labour movement to this framework cannot be slighted.

Workers are very important. Without their efforts, many things will not function properly. Our roads wouldn’t be built. Our hospitals wouldn’t have doctors and nurses, aides, cleaners, security officers, clerical staff, and many of the other people to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Our schools, police stations, fire stations, banks, shipping ports, airports, or any other business and industry would not work well. Labour Day is a public holiday recognizing the efforts of ALL workers.

Some labour leaders in our country’s history are:

TUBAL URIAH BUTLER

Tubal Uriah Butler was a labour leader who worked in the oilfields in our country during the 1930s. He fought fiercely for workers to receive fair wages and recognition. He was a central figure in the labour riots which began on the night of June 19th, 1937.

During the riots, the governor declared a state of emergency as the strike spread throughout the entire country and at least 14 workers and two policemen were killed.

Almost ten years later, in June 1946, our country held its first election where every adult could vote. Butler represented the district of St. Patrick West and he won the seat in 1950. He remained in office until 1961.

In 1970, Butler was awarded our nation's highest honor at the time, the Trinity Cross, in recognition of his fight for workers, and one of our nation's six highways is named the Uriah Butler Highway.

ADRIAN COLA RIENZI

Adrian Cola Rienzi was another very important labour leader during the 1930s. He was a lawyer and he helped to form the country’s first and longest serving trade union, the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union or the OWTU.

He also founded the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union.
He fought for universal adult suffrage, which is our right to vote in elections, and for women’s rights among other things.

Adrian Cola Rienzi was really hard working. He grew up in a poor family and
though he passed for Naparima Boys’ College, he had to leave school in form three because of hardship. He did not let this stop him. He took a job as a law clerk and eventually was able to travel to England where he studied to become a lawyer. He later became the mayor of San Fernando and held office there for three terms. Adrian Cola Rienzi, by his life, has shown us that setbacks in our lives should not stop us from accomplishing great things.

ELMA FRANCOIS

Elma Francois worked in Trinidad as a washerwoman and a domestic servant during the 1920s.

She soon became involved with the labour movement here and hosted rap sessions by candlelight around the nation’s capital to inform and educate the public. She led hunger marches around Port of Spain and fought to draw attention to inequality.

OTHER IMPORTANT LABOUR FIGURES

There are MANY other important labour figures in this country. Captain Andrew Arthur Cipriani, George Weekes, and CLR James, and our very own former prime minister, Mr. Basdeo Panday are just a few.

This story cannot possibly count all that they have fought for and won for the people of this country. It is important to remember and to respect and to honor their fight, however, as we all work together to build a fair and equal nation for all who live here.