Neither Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley nor Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus have been invited to attend today’s annual Labour Day march and rally in Fyzabad.
Today marks the 79th anniversary of the Butler Oilfield Riots and thousands of workers are expected to head to Charlie King Junction to unite and speak out against issues affecting them.
Speaking with the Sunday Guardian yesterday, chief education and research officer of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ozzie Warwick confirmed that Rowley and Baptiste-Primus had not been invited, but said the rally was expected to be an exciting one. Warwick said they will be assessing government’s performance and dealing with the issue of retrenchment.
“At the rally, we will be assessing the performance of the Government and looking at this issue of mass retrenchment that is taking place in the current economic situation. We will be proposing a way forward from the progressive labour movement’s perspective.”
This year’s theme is—We Demand Job Security and Protection for All Workers.
Warwick said the celebrations would kick off with a marathon and walk, then wreath-laying ceremonies at the grave site of “the father” of the trade union movement Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler and at the gravesite of La Brea Charles, who was mistaken for Butler during the uprising. He was shot and killed in 1937. Labour Day was declared a public holiday in 1973.
Workers and their leaders will begin their “pilgrimage” around 9 am at Avocat Junction and proceed along the Fyzabad Main Road to the Charlie King Junction.
In 2010, former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and then labour minister Errol McLeod attended celebrations. While on the platform she pledged $100,000 to the labour movement to defray costs for hosting celebrations. Last year, Persad-Bissessar attended celebrations in Couva.
JTUM declined government’s $15 million allocation in the 2016 national budget.
Attempts to reach JTUM leader Ancel Roget on his mobile since Friday were unsuccessful.
General secretary of the National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) Michael Annisette also could not be reached. (RR)