Labour Day
is fast approaching! I wonder how many of us remember what Labour Day is about.
Some will tell you that it is about putting work into Labour Day.
Historians
have told us that workers had to work under some very repressive, racist and
horrible conditions even after slavery was abolished in 1834 after which came
full emancipation a few years later. Queen Victoria was credited for granting
slaves their freedom and her birthday was celebrated in Jamaica. Her birthday celebrations
were replaced with the celebration of Labour Day, on May 23, when we use to recognize our
workers.
A few years
ago, the theme of Labour Day became, ‘Put Work into Labour Day’. The workers have
since been removed from the centre of the Labour Day celebrations and replaced
with other matters.
We need to
put the workers back to the centre of the Labour Day celebrations. When we look
at what is happening to contract workers and specifically the security guards
then it seems that we are fast going back to the pre 1938 era.
On Labour
Day, let us remember the thousands of security guards and other contract
workers who work for many hours under harsh conditions. Many are not a part of
a pension scheme, they get no paid leave, no uniform allowance, no statutory
payments are paid to government for them, some get less than the minimum wage
pay, they have no security of tenure in their jobs and generally they feel no self-esteem
nor dignity as a worker.
Let's call
for a change in the working conditions especially for these workers. Let's put
the Workers back to the center of Labour Day.
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