JNF-The-Working-Class-Struggle-of-Half-a-Century

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existing, it is not considered that any form of intervention in that matter of direct dealing as between employer and employee is called for.” In True Colours The first head-on clash in the Legislature between Labour and the vested interests came at the second meeting of new Council on 20 th October 1937. At that meeting the Crown Attorney presented eleven Bills, among them being two which sought to authorize the General Legislature of the Leeward Islands to enact measures for dealing with workmen’s compensation and minimum wages. These measures were among many others which the St. Kitts Workers League had advocated from its very beginning in 1932, just as it had agitated successfully for constitutional reform which now made it possible for such Bills and other Labour Laws to be considered with elected representatives of the working masses around the Council table. But the very thought of this change stirred up resentment from another side of the table, the old guards of power and privilege refused to yield up an inch of ground without a struggle. Defenders of the vested interests launched an attack on the Crown Attorney’s motion for the first reading of the bills in question. These keen opponents pushed forward another motion requesting that the particular Bills be read this day six months hence. It was defeated as the eight other members voted in favor of the first reading of the Bills., According to the minutes of the meeting, the Crown Attorney moved the suspension of the Standing Rules and Orders to allow the Bills for Workmen’s Compensation (General Legislature Competency) and Minimum Wage for Labour (General Legislature Competency) to pass all stages at that sitting of the Council. The treasurer seconded the motion but another member opposed all Competency Bills. A division was called. On being put to the vote, the opposing motion was lost by nine votes to one, and the Bills were read a second time. The resistance did not end there. The Council then resolved itself into a committee to consider these Bills, A member moved that clause 2 should be amended by the insertion of the word not so that the clause would read as follows, ...it shall not be within the competency of 141
the General Legislature to make laws in respect of the Presidency... A division was called in each case, and the opposing motion was lost by nine votes to one. Clause 2 as it stood was approved. The Council resumed. Finally both Bills were read a third time and declared passed. Since 1937, Workmen’s compensation and minimum wages have become part of the common heritage of our people, though many may not be fully aware of the difficulties encountered in paving the way. The introduction of the representative form of Government provided the country with the machinery to start the establishment of a new order of things, but judging from the performance at early meetings of the new Legislative Council, the way was not going to be smooth. 142
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J. N. FRANCE ______________________
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© 2015 Published by The National A
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Preface The Working Class struggle
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1 EARLY VISION Where is this countr
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With the passing of time, social an
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This early attempt at workers' orga
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post as a school teacher to succeed
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For several years the pressure was
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and school houses are being used fo
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housing condition arising from the
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3 PREPARING THE GROUND The thought
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That impressive English story told
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they had accumulated £28 with whic
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Commons that since the colony of th
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1922, some of the members of Legisl
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On 30 th August 1932 the Dominica T
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country and I regard British Guiana
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Mr. Marryshow then raised his tone
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Delegates to the West India Confere
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The conference opened its proceedin
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protests can be ignored with impuni
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Closer Union Commission widened to
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He said it was a privilege to him t
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possible, an education that must be
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and suffering, and in such a condit
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The land forming the Hospital compo
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ing able to grant the request of th
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prison sentences for what was commo
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sinned against the Factory. Theirs
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9 FROM PAUPER RELIEF TO PROVIDENT B
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1954 declared the first Monday in M
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it has proposed to interfere will b
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Change When the League came on the
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Children of the working class. 61
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had just dumped out a load of cane
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There was no reply from London. Twe
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president. When the delegation gave
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Under the law of 1937 only a limite
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Workers who would have benefited fr
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Grenada, and will seek to work in a
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Ferguson, Chairman of the Commissio
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Now let me say in the first place t
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We should like to refer to West Ind
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in West Indies there is a considera
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The 1932 Commissioners commented on
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not regard it as essential that the
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official news of its adoption by th
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gravity of the situation to the att
Page 100 and 101: On 13 th December, 1934 an unusuall
Page 102 and 103: employed by those who demand the ad
Page 104 and 105: concerning the right for the workin
Page 106 and 107: come relief to a grateful people an
Page 108 and 109: vance towards the goal of the Feder
Page 110 and 111: members of the Council. Mr. Marrysh
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Page 114 and 115: Unofficial Majority on the Legislat
Page 116 and 117: tional reform movement in this Pres
Page 118 and 119: combine to give the Closer Union Sc
Page 120 and 121: prominent part in marking the close
Page 122 and 123: when the slaves were set free, and
Page 124 and 125: The people in those days took it fo
Page 126 and 127: Sugar Factory workers were “chast
Page 128 and 129: At West Farm the marchers were prev
Page 130 and 131: Some of the men, it was alleged, we
Page 132 and 133: gear was damaged and the employees
Page 134 and 135: Inspector of Police and Magistrate
Page 136 and 137: H.M.S. Leander arrived in the port
Page 138 and 139: satisfied that the action taken by
Page 140 and 141: 16 THE FIRST ELECTION The clash of
Page 142 and 143: opposed to it. The 1936 Constitutio
Page 144 and 145: important matter, I promise the Ele
Page 146 and 147: could have no better representative
Page 148 and 149: whether it was a fact that the St.
Page 152 and 153: 17 THE 1938 ROYAL COMMISSION The 19
Page 154 and 155: A: Any law-abiding citizen over 16
Page 156 and 157: appeared and presented the case of
Page 158 and 159: 18 A STAKE IN THE COUNTRY Land owne
Page 160 and 161: culture and Commercial Society. The
Page 162 and 163: After this, the land would vest abs
Page 164 and 165: age. In the following month, Januar
Page 166 and 167: 19 MARCUS GARVEY IN ST. KITTS St. K
Page 168 and 169: When he made man he said, ‘By the
Page 170 and 171: oil underneath his feet. Englishmen
Page 172 and 173: is a little four-page newspaper. Yo
Page 174 and 175: provided the major portion of the e
Page 176 and 177: which should be paid for the variou
Page 178 and 179: In April 1969 the Minister of Labou
Page 180 and 181: 21 POWER OF THE PRESS During first
Page 182 and 183: Commission headed by Sir Charles Fe
Page 184 and 185: President wrote, The issues are too
Page 186 and 187: the sea. The effects were terrible
Page 188 and 189: mendous crowd packed the Mutual Imp
Page 190 and 191: territory, the success of the past
Page 192 and 193: the notice, was that employees were
Page 194 and 195: 185
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