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

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sinned against the Factory. Theirs was not to reason why. Their audacity in inconveniencing the Factory, the mighty god of this Island; their rudeness in doing anything but accept the terms and conditions of labour prescribed by their absentee employers in London must be visited with chastisement, not with whips but with scorpions…. The decree went forth that the terms and conditions of reinstatement are that the deduction of one penny in the shilling shall be increased to two pennies in the shilling... If now we represent the total reduction in wages in percent we will place it at 33 and one-thirds, a reduction that amounts to exactly one-third of their already very meager wages. But what was their sin, that they have been so punished? Their actions interpreted, they told their employers that there was no reduction in the price of bread, flour, meal, rice, fish, clothing, house rent. They told them that last year the factory profits amounted to over £50 000; that it was by the sweat of their brow they should eat bread and that although they gave and were giving already obedience to this Divine decree, by sweating and more sweating, they were still underfed and partly naked and otherwise living (no, not living, but existing) under conditions that were hellish, and so were their innocent wives and children; that they desired the opportunity to live like human beings... The owners of the factory did not lose even a screw, a bolt or a washer from their plant. There was no disorder. Police were at hand to take care of the King’s Peace… All will be well that ends well. The strikers have been reinstated and at a promise of reduction, because they have sinned in asking to be allowed to work for bread. O, that bread be so dear, and flesh and blood so cheap! The Union Messenger could have dealt with the episode in no other way. Its fondest hope had been shattered for the moment. Nor could the situation be otherwise, for there was not yet any industrial organisation for unfortunate workers to look towards, no facilities for collective bargaining; no protective labour laws. A Changing Scene 51
The cut in wages was restored to factory workers on 2 nd December, 1932. The general outlook for sugar was by then brighter than in previous years. Gradually the industrial and economic atmosphere in the island began to change. In the course of time the workers began to get together. The sugar interests had already been organised and had as their forum the St. Kitts Agricultural Society. The workers turned their attention towards the St Kitts Workers League. Today the picture has changed in many respects. Forty eight years have made a great difference. Organised labour now has the means to regulate relationships and negotiate the price at which the workman sells his strength and skills. Indeed the workers of this country should realise that they have a tremendous lot to cherish and preserve when they recall what the fate of the masses was like just four decades ago. 52
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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
Page 9 and 10: 1 EARLY VISION Where is this countr
Page 11 and 12: With the passing of time, social an
Page 13 and 14: This early attempt at workers' orga
Page 15 and 16: post as a school teacher to succeed
Page 17 and 18: For several years the pressure was
Page 19 and 20: and school houses are being used fo
Page 21 and 22: housing condition arising from the
Page 23 and 24: 3 PREPARING THE GROUND The thought
Page 25 and 26: That impressive English story told
Page 27 and 28: they had accumulated £28 with whic
Page 29 and 30: Commons that since the colony of th
Page 31 and 32: 1922, some of the members of Legisl
Page 33 and 34: On 30 th August 1932 the Dominica T
Page 35 and 36: country and I regard British Guiana
Page 37 and 38: Mr. Marryshow then raised his tone
Page 39: Delegates to the West India Confere
Page 42 and 43: The conference opened its proceedin
Page 44 and 45: protests can be ignored with impuni
Page 46 and 47: Closer Union Commission widened to
Page 48 and 49: He said it was a privilege to him t
Page 50 and 51: possible, an education that must be
Page 52 and 53: and suffering, and in such a condit
Page 54 and 55: The land forming the Hospital compo
Page 56 and 57: ing able to grant the request of th
Page 58 and 59: prison sentences for what was commo
Page 62 and 63: 9 FROM PAUPER RELIEF TO PROVIDENT B
Page 64 and 65: 1954 declared the first Monday in M
Page 66 and 67: it has proposed to interfere will b
Page 68 and 69: Change When the League came on the
Page 70 and 71: Children of the working class. 61
Page 72 and 73: had just dumped out a load of cane
Page 74 and 75: There was no reply from London. Twe
Page 76 and 77: president. When the delegation gave
Page 78 and 79: Under the law of 1937 only a limite
Page 80 and 81: Workers who would have benefited fr
Page 82 and 83: Grenada, and will seek to work in a
Page 84 and 85: Ferguson, Chairman of the Commissio
Page 86 and 87: Now let me say in the first place t
Page 88 and 89: We should like to refer to West Ind
Page 90 and 91: in West Indies there is a considera
Page 92 and 93: The 1932 Commissioners commented on
Page 94 and 95: not regard it as essential that the
Page 96 and 97: official news of its adoption by th
Page 98 and 99: 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
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members of the Council. Mr. Marrysh
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see no reason why we should be give
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Unofficial Majority on the Legislat
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tional reform movement in this Pres
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combine to give the Closer Union Sc
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prominent part in marking the close
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when the slaves were set free, and
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The people in those days took it fo
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Sugar Factory workers were “chast
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At West Farm the marchers were prev
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Some of the men, it was alleged, we
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gear was damaged and the employees
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Inspector of Police and Magistrate
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H.M.S. Leander arrived in the port
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satisfied that the action taken by
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16 THE FIRST ELECTION The clash of
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opposed to it. The 1936 Constitutio
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important matter, I promise the Ele
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could have no better representative
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whether it was a fact that the St.
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existing, it is not considered that
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17 THE 1938 ROYAL COMMISSION The 19
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A: Any law-abiding citizen over 16
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appeared and presented the case of
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18 A STAKE IN THE COUNTRY Land owne
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culture and Commercial Society. The
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After this, the land would vest abs
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age. In the following month, Januar
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19 MARCUS GARVEY IN ST. KITTS St. K
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When he made man he said, ‘By the
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oil underneath his feet. Englishmen
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is a little four-page newspaper. Yo
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provided the major portion of the e
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which should be paid for the variou
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In April 1969 the Minister of Labou
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21 POWER OF THE PRESS During first
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Commission headed by Sir Charles Fe
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President wrote, The issues are too
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the sea. The effects were terrible
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mendous crowd packed the Mutual Imp
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territory, the success of the past
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the notice, was that employees were
Page 194 and 195:
185
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