“We are at a point where the Trade Union Movement is dead…. and it has been dead for a while now!” President of the Public Services Association (PSA), Watson Duke, shared his views on the Trade Union Movement via his social media on Friday evening.
According to Duke, the Government has been nothing but disrespectful to the Trade Union Movement. He said that over the last year, the Government has not passed any labour legislation, while denying payment of salary increases to employees of the National Insurance Board and employees of the Port, following legally signed collective agreements.
Duke referred to Scripture as he forewarned his trade union comrades that in order for the labour movement to have any success in fighting for the working class that there must be a shaking of “dry bones”. He stated that the Government was hitting “death blows” to the Trade Union Movement and the only way to defeat those blows, was to let go of old ways and to fight each battle as it were the last.
“We must see ourselves as one body belonging to the house of labour and we must fight every single battle as if it’s the last battle! It’s not a show thing!”
“When last you really heard somebody make some noise in the trade union movement? When last you really hear somebody want to break up the place for the Trade Union Movement? When last you hear somebody take on the government and say that enough is enough? It is time to awake and arise!” said Duke.