Collective bargaining for power

IT IS election time and we all have our roles to play. So do the trade unions. In fact, some unions that are in deep slumber even on May Day become active during election time.

The history of the trade union movement in Sri Lanka dates back to the end of the 19th century when the first union, the Ceylon Printers Union, was formed in 1893. Since then the number of unions has multiplied and the movement has evolved to what it is today.

"A trade union is a 'continuous association' of wage earners for the purpose of maintaining and improving the conditions of their working lives," said `History of Trade Unionism' a book published in 1920.

If it is a 'continuous association' the trade union movement must be something like a rolling stone. They say that a rolling stone gathers no moss. However, in Sri Lanka it has gathered a lot of moss. This moss is nothing but politics.

Politics, more than any other factor, caused the fragmentation of the trade union movement here. Most trade unions today are affiliated to political parties. Some have even become registered political parties.

Those who lead these unions are keen on winning their own political gains rather than winning the rights of the workers whom they represent. Collectively, these 'leaders' bargain for power.

It is the international trade union movement that was instrumental in winning us a host of basic rights that we share today. Unions worldwide played a vital role in organising the labour and progressive movements that struggled for 'universal suffrage'.

Ironically, it is that same 'right to vote' that has been exploited by so called union leaders for their own advantage.

On May Day we commemorate those workers in the United States who sacrificed their lives to win the 'eight hour working day' at a time when 12 hour or even longer shifts were the order of the day.

Without stopping at that unionists in some European countries are now fighting to restrict the working week still further so that employment can be evenly shared making work a less dominant feature of daily life.

However, in Sri Lanka some unionists have joined hands with politicians who are calling for the reduction of holidays our workers enjoy.

These politicians instigated by trade chambers have conveniently ignored the fact that the average Sri Lankan worker spends at least 10 to 14 hours working and travelling to and from work thanks to transport problems. Therefore, no unionist has a moral right to support a political party with such motives.

International trade unions also pioneered the struggle to make essential services such as healthcare and education 'public' and 'free' to all. However, some unions here support political campaigns of parties hell bent on privatisation.

In 1998, the International Labour Organisation declared 'freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining' as a basic labour right. This right is commonly put to the test in the form of 'strikes'. The manner in which this weapon is used here especially in the healthcare and transport sectors is highly unethical.

It is time for the unions to hold this weapon against those who abuse labour rights and not against the very people they represent. It is easy. They just have to say 'We are on strike' when their services are needed for political campaigns.