A salute to the workers' blood, sweat and tears

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31: On Monday, Bermuda will celebrate the 31st Annual Labour Day.

I wish to state that in my opinion, much credit for the celebration of this holiday must be given to the workers of Bermuda and the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party.

Let us not forget that Labour Day, a holiday that is celebrated in many other countries, was designed to celebrate the achievement of workers. 

The first Labour Day was celebrated in Bermuda on September 6, 1982 after much pressure was put on the then-United Bermuda Party Government by the Bermuda Industrial Union in particular, and other trade unionists. 

In his book ‘The History of The Bermuda Industrial Union’, author Ira Philip writes: “Regarding the Labour Day Holiday, (George) Baisden said not many might remember ‘how we knocked our heads against the walls, campaigning to bring it about. To back up our demand to observe May 1st along with the rest of the world as Labour Day, for more than ten years, a group of us would set out from St. George’s Parish on May 1st with a musical band and march to (BIU) headquarters in style’.”

Many Bermudians will remember the late ‘Comrade’ Richard ‘Doc’ Lynch who always recognized ‘May Day’ or International Workers Day on May 1st  by placing an advertisement in the daily newspaper.

May 1st  is a national holiday in more than 80 countries and celebrated unofficially in many other countries.

“Comrade” Lynch served for many years as the President of the BIU’s Construction Division.  Additionally, ‘Comrade’ Lynch ran as a Bermuda Progressive Labour Party candidate in Devonshire South during several elections, the last time being in the 1993 General Election.

Trade unions in Bermuda are grateful to the late C. Eugene Cox,  MP, who as the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs in March 1982, piloted the amendment to the Public Holidays Act, 1947. The passing of this legislation added Labour Day to the list of holidays that were included in the Act at that time. The first Labour Day was celebrated in Bermuda on Monday September 6, 1982.   

According to the March 12, 1982 edition of the Workers Voice, it is reported that Mr. Cox said his amendment had called for Labour Day to be celebrated on the first Monday in May.  However, “members of the United Bermuda Party Government would not accept that date and presented their amendment to celebrate the holiday in September, the same day as the American Labour Day”.

Although there are those in our community who continue to believe that Labour Day should be celebrated on May 1st, in some countries known as May Day, I will not get into that argument.  However, I do believe that the important thing is that Bermudians remember that on Monday, September 3, 2012, Bermuda will celebrate Labour Day because of the blood, sweat and tears of the working class Bermudians, many of whom never lived to see Labour Day celebrated in Bermuda.

I can think of many people now deceased like Dr. E.F. Gordon, Dr. Eustace Cann, Martin T. Wilson, Gerald Brangman, Austin Wilson, William Davis and Joseph (Joe) Mills, to name but a few of the brave men who fought for the rights of workers in Bermuda.  Of course, I cannot forget those brave women like Dr. Barbara Ball, Doreen Lightbourne, Doris Cholmondeley and Ann Pindar, who also carried the banner along with their brothers in the struggle.

The theme for this year’s Labour Day is ‘Trade Union Rights Under Attack’ which means that in spite of the hard fought battles by those who have gone before us, trade unions globally are under attack by employers who are using the excuse of the recession for the increased attacks.

Hence the call by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to the global trade union family to end the attack by employers on the fundamental rights of workers.

Today, all Bermudians should be grateful that we enjoy such benefits as paid vacation, paid maternity leave and in some cases, paternity leave, paid sick days, equal work for equal pay for men and women, just to name a few of the benefits that trade unionists have fought for over the years.

Most importantly, all Bermudian workers should be grateful that the right to join a trade union is enshrined in the Bermuda Constitution and the Human Rights Act.

• LaVerne Furbert is a community activist and trade unionist.