May Day thoughts

Today’s International Workers Day events no doubt will be marred by the Global economic recession that has laid off millions of jobs around the world over.

Sri Lanka too like other Asian countries is gradually beginning to feel the effects of the financial meltdown though there is no job loss on the scale witnessed in many countries or undue panic.

Under this climate it is appropriate that today’s May Day is held on a subdued note in Sri Lanka too although the security situation may have influenced the decision.

In any event all recent May day exercises were relatively quiet affairs which begs the question if the International Workers’ Day is gradually losing it’s relevance and sting in this country.

Even the slogans have changed from those of the past which demonised the capitalist economy and exploitation. Today instead the entire script is of a political flavour with the worker’s rights and demands taking a back seat.

We say this because unlike in the good old days when the Marxists held sway the Trade Union movement in the country has become largely dormant or even impotent. They have lost the clout in collective bargaining and is merely a shadow of its past. This is because the power of the Trade Unions today has largely been diluted by power politics which is laying down the agenda.

As a result giant inroads are being made by the political movement into the Trade Union bastions upstaging the worker’s solidarity and fragmenting the working class. Unlike in the past where collective decisions were taken with the Trade Unions in the forefront, today we see workers divided on political party lines defeating the aim of the labour movement. The ultimate beneficiaries are the Trade Unions leaders who knows which side their bread is buttered.

The Government for it’s part has decided to hold it’s May Day event at Temple Trees addressed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa while the UNP opposition has planned religious services to mark the event. Hopefully this change in the May Day tempo would provide a time for introspection as to whether the present May Days are really those devoted to the enthronement of the working class or should they continue to be a vehicle for political muscle flexing. It is time that the working class resolves to band themselves together to stand on their own instead of subordinating their rights and agitation to the political movement.

We say this because today political parties have hi-jacked what is essentially an event of the working class to spew venom at their opponents. True, given the political culture of this country where politics has invaded every sphere of activity and endeavour it would asking too much for a high octane event as a May Day to be divorced from party politics.

This is more so since today all Trade Unions are appendages of political parties who make use of this powerful arm of the working class to further their ends. How many of these Trade Unions could honestly claim to be behind the struggle of the working class who are made pawns of ambitious politicians. Gone are the days when Resolutions read on May Day platforms were implemented. Today these resolutions are mere asides to the grand political shows put up by political parties with orators breathing fire and brimstone promising the world to the working class.

One could trace the decline and degeneration of the May Day to the immediate post 1977 era when the event was converted into musical shows at Galle Face Green. Later the stage was dominated by Hindi film stars and other assortment of artistes. This was a means of dazzling the working class population away from their pressing demands.

May Days since then have lost their zip in Sri Lanka and today we see the worker’s day degenerating into bacchanal orgies with the workers themselves drifting rudderless sans effective leadership.

May Day has also lost it’s orientation in other ways. Today we see all around us a lack of a work ethic where workers of State institutions perform the least amount of work while making unfair demands. One has only to walk into any State institution to observe this lethargy on the part of our workers.

Hopefully this May Day there will be less demands by the workers in a spirit of sacrifice on behalf of our valiant soldiers and also taking cognisance of the economic gloom and the humanitarian situation unfolding in the North.