Workers Unite in Celebration of Your Labour Day - Not The State's Labour Day!

Labour Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. I urge Jamaicans to reflect on this special day in remembering the struggles of the workers and their unions which now allow us to enjoy a better life today. There was a time when few black people were found working in banks and stores. Entertainers had to walk at the back in order to go into the hotels to perform. 

I am disappointed that for a number of years now, we seemed to have abandoned the true meaning of Labour Day and it has been a day to labour, have fun and stage shows which really do not reflect the worth of the workers.

The theme for example 'Advancing our Nation's Interests Through Work, Innovation and Parnership' does not speak to the issues or struggles of the workers over the years.

The following are some of the issues that the workers still face:

1. Statutory deductions are still not being paid over to the relevant government agencies by some organizations. What is being done to correct that?
2. Workers are classified as so-called contract workers to deny them certain rights.
3. Workers are victimized because they are not into news carrying and playing up to their bosses.
4. Many workplaces do not facilitate the employment of those who are physically disabled.
5. Many workers continue to face sexual harassment at the workplace but they are too scared of losing their jobs and therefore they keep quiet.
6. Some workers are deprived of becoming members of associations because persons who head such organizations deliberately set up roadblocks to prevent them from becoming members.
7. Workers are at the mercy of our financial institutions. Bank fees have now become part of the private taxation system.
8. Workers are losing their funds due to dormant fees and they also lose their funds when they suffer from dementia and do not recall where their funds are.

Let the theme of Labour Day be:

  'Workers united we stand and United workers is an unbeatable force'.

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