Workers march through rain/floods

However during the rally at Woodford Square there was an attempt by Assistant Police Commissioner, Winston Cooper, who made his way to the band stand of the Square to put an end to the rally, since Fitun was only permitted to use the facility until 1.30 pm. However with the intervention of David Abdullah, president of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs (Fitun), under whose umbrella the march was conducted, the rally was allowed to go on until 1.37 pm.

Earlier, when the proceedings started in Aranjuez, Krishendath Goorcharan of Sou Sou Land Limited knocked the Government for building houses that the poorer class of people can’t afford. He asked, “Who has $250,000 to buy a Government house these days? With so much wealth in this country, there is still poverty.” He then called on Government to “get real and truly help poor people.”

Sham Mohammed, president of the Land Tenants and Rate Payers Association, echoed the sentiments of Goorcharan, adding that the Government doesn’t have any land or housing policy to suit the incomes of the poor.

The march, led by Abdullah, then headed for Port-of-Spain, via the Eastern Main Road (EMR). It was staged to highlight a number of issues plaguing the working class people in the country. As the workers marched off from the savannah, they did so to the chant of “Walk The Heavenly Road” and “Hold the Fort,” with a heavy police presence. Then when they got to the EMR a heavy down pour of rain had the workers singing more vociferously as they brought out their umbrellas and picked up the pace of the march.

The unions that took part in the march comprised a contingent from the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU), the Communications Workers Union (CWU), the Public Services Association of TT (PSA), the Trinidad Island-wide Cane Farmers Association (TICFA), the Cattle Farmers Association (CFA), the Sheep and Goat Farmers Association, the WASA branch of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW), the Daily Paid Retirees Association, the Guave Road Farmers Association, the T&T Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), the Trinidad Youth Council, the Caribbean Union of Teachers, the Network of Women’s Organisations, the State Police Association, and the Movement of National Democracy (MND), led by its leader Garvin Nicholas.

As the march proceeded in an orderly fashion to PoS, the loud speaker blared that the event was a national issue and not confined to unions only. At 12 noon it got to Independence Square with an extra verve, this time with the singing of a revised version of an old ditty “Run Your Run” that went:

“Run your run, Mr. Manning run your run.”

The chant produced laughter from bystanders at the Brian Lara Promenade and up Abercromby Street straight into Woodford Square.

Having reached the Square at 12.50 pm, it meant the rally could have only lasted 40 minutes. It started with a minute’s silence as a mark of respect for former President Noor Hassanali, who passed away yesterday.

Master of ceremonies, Abdullah brought on speakers Stephen Thomas — PSA, Ravi Lutchman of the Youth Council, John Julien — CWU, Chris Medford — CFA who were well received by the crowd. They spoke on topics such as big pay/small pay, wage freeze, loss of decent jobs and death of farmers and end of agriculture.

At 1.25 pm when the President General of the OWTU, Errol Mc Leod, took the podium, he told the gathering that all workers were under attack. He said: “All of us are being told to produce more and earn less. Whether we are in WASA or in TTEC, in oil and gas, the public service, the hospitals, the police service, wherever we are in agriculture and farming, manufacturing, we are expected to meekly wait and murmur nothing?”

Mc Leod also had reservations about wages awarded by the Salaries Review Commission to those who fall under the Commission saying, “I have no gripe with the increases but if we must pay them, we must be treated with equity.”

It was soon after this that ACP Cooper tried to stop the rally, but was talked out of taking action by Abdullah.

Mc Leod also said he intends to correct the situation where Chinese, British and other foreigners are being brought into TT to work here despite the underemployment situation in the country.

“There is a belief that opposition is dead in TT. I wish to let them know that it is only the corrupt opposition that dead in TT. But so long as the OWTU continues to exist in this country, they will have to listen and take notice because it is not for very long that we will continue to exercise our patience and keep refineries running and electricity flowing,” said Mc Leod.

Mc Leod ended his address promising, “We demand and we will win equity for all of the workers. If it means shutting down operations throughout the country we will win equity in our struggle for equity, for peace, for bread and our justice,” before stating that the battle has only just begun.