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UNC Chairman Lee’s Labour Day Message
Posted On 19 Jun 2016
” A fair days pay for a fair days work” has been the struggle and campaign of Unions Globally as they sought and continue to seek the protection of the working class.
Today we celebrate one of the most significant days in our nation’s history ; Labour day. Seventy – nine years ago Police tried to arrest Uriah Buzz Butler at Charlie King Junction after the oil Field Riots, a courageous act which impacted our nation’s history to ensure a permanent voice and protective mechanism to prevent workers from being exploited.
Therefore today we celebrate ,commend and honour all of those who fought and continue to fight to transform the narrow pathway of defending the rights of workers and representing them against unfair treatment into a paved road of equality, opportunity and justified compensation.
As we mark Labour Day 2016 it is pertinent that we analyse our progress as a nation to realising true equality , equity and goodwill towards the working class. As we move forward as a nation it is critical that all citizens stand against unfair treatment to workers, it is important that Unions become more vigilant on behalf of their workers while workers must become familiar with their rights and all protective measures available to them.
The United National Congress has proudly emerged from bowels of the working class and Union Movement , thus as the Party’s chairman it gives me great pride to congratulate all the stakeholders of the Labour movement as I urge them to work as fellow Comrades to ensure a better standard of living for all of our citizens.
As the Parliamentary Opposition we have a duty to ensure all is done to amplify the voice and needs of the Labour movement thus I firmly support the calls of the Opposition Leader that there is urgent need for government to engage swiftly in comprehensively revising and amending a number of critical pieces of labour legislation and even introducing new ones such as the revision of the Industrial Relations Act, the revision of the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, and, the revision of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
