CONGRATULATIONS TO the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) on its 75th anniversary. The union is made up of divisions representing workers from both combined interests as well as individual operations.
After many years new staff may not have the slightest notion of the genesis of their division. As I was involved at the starting point of one such division – Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation – I can let today’s staff there know that three of their former staff members, now deceased, and I met for many Sunday mornings with Mr Oxley from the union to thrash out equivalencies and other matters related to the first agreement.
First it was Ed Browne, Reynold Culpepper and I to be joined some weeks into the discussions by Arturo Tappin Sr.
Naturally, over the years, understanding of the role of the trade unions may have shifted from the grand “improvement in the quality of life” to the more basic “coppers” (money) and complaints.
Perhaps the union, as part of suggested restructuring, needs to rethink May Day from a beach party, interrupted by speeches, to a learning and sharing exercise. For instance, using the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, the morning session might be a series of learning workshops about trade unions and unionists in other industries not found in Barbados such as mining, atomic energy, oil exploration and so on. Indeed, there are many, many more types of employment.
After lunch – there could be – celebrations of individuals’ work on or off the job and also collective presentations from divisions, previously notified, but decided by them, to show collective involvement. This could be drama, dance, construction, whatever.
What about Noughts and Crosses on another May Day? A challenge of physical, scribal, verbal and non-verbal clues designed to solve problems. This may mean all divisions may have to get people physically fit and also three or four people to learn semaphore and/or morse code. Semaphore? Morse code? Yes.
Some thoughts, but there may be many more (re)starting points for the BWU.
– MICHAEL RUDDER
