THE OWTU AND GEORGE WEEKES I KNEW : MEMOIRS OF A BLUE SHIRT SOLDIER PART ONE

I first saw George Weekes in 1966 at a political meeting of the Workers and Farmers Party in Princes Town at the Triangle. I lived then at Iere Village near Princes Town where Mr. Stephen Maharaj (the Political Leader of the WFP) had his popular pharmacy. I never imagined that George Weekes would be part of my life journey in later years.

In and around 1967-1969, I, a young unknown, had the esteemed privilege to be in the company of the young and vibrant Brother Winston Suite; elders Mr. Yunas Sahai; Mr. Reuben Francis of the Furniture Shop and a few others whose name I can't recall. We would regularly meet at Mr. Boysie's parlour next door to what used to be the Mohammed brothers Princes Town Special Bus Company Garage on the Manahambre Main Road near Princes Town. It was my "baptism of fire" into Colonialism, Politics of all the "ism", Trade Union, Religion, Slavery, Indentured Labour, History, Sports and a wide range of topics. Those impromptu meetings would go from around 6ish into 9/10 pm. I learned a lot during those meetings …stuff that I never had at my educational institutions. George Weekes name would come up at those meetings.

T&TEC

In September 1969 I was employed at T&TEC Penal Power Station in the Maintenance Department. As a result of my baptism at Boysie’s Parlour, it was not difficult for me to identify with the Trade Union Movement. The name George Weekes was already familiar to me.

Up until the early part of 1969 T&TEC workers were represented by the then Electricity Supply Industrial Union (ESIU) with John Hackshaw as its full time General Secretary. The latter part of 1969 was an historic period where T&TEC workers would become members of the all-powerful Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU). I am told that the idea of joining the OWTU started at the T&TEC Penal Power Station with Comrades AR Boodoo and Neville De Silva and a few others workers.

The Union’s contact man then was OWTU’s Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Doodnath Maharaj. Neville De Silva would become our first Branch President. At all areas of T&TEC workers were actively engaged in having the OWTU as the workers’ representative. The state was not happy about that. The OWTU was accused of cooking the books in making T&TEC workers eligible to become members.

The Police would question Comrade Doodnath Maharaj and eventually seized his passport for 7 years. In those days the Minister of Labour used to sign the Recognition Certificate. The then Minister of Labour was one A C Alexis. Prime Minister Eric Williams use to boast of keeping Oil and Sugar apart. It was said that when Williams realised that OWTU was now the recognised Union for T&TEC workers he became furious and fired the Alexis who was allegedly his brother in law. With T&TEC workers certified as members of OWTU, PG Weekes and the Union would be a stronger organisation. The “General” would have one more stripe in his arsenal.

At our early branch meetings there were some workers at T&TEC who were still cultured in the British Colonial ways. So at that time it was difficult to have those workers come on board at our Branch Meetings at the Penal Sports Club-house. We would try to influence them and most gradually did come on board in Union meetings and other activities. The art of neutralising and pacifying is a craft by itself. I guess this might have been the same in other T&TEC areas.

MEETING PG WEEKES AT OUR PENAL BRANCH

After becoming members of the OWTU, we were upbeat to meet with PG Weekes and other Executive Officers. We knew Comrade Doodnath Maharaj who was instrumental in having us become members of OWTU. PG Weekes spoke briefly on many topics. Some workers were surprised to hear how cool and simple was his tone in addressing us. I guess through print and electronic media the impression workers had of him was a fighter with a loud and aggressive personality. I remembered him saying that we belong to a very important industry and we must do our duty with pride and dignity but at the same time we must stand up for justice for workers. He said a good trade unionist must also be a good worker by example. In 1971/72 term I was elected as Assistant Branch Secretary. Thereafter, I became the Branch Secretary unopposed for all the years of service in that position and Shop Steward for monthly rated workers. After Elections for Branch officers we would have the “installation of officers” by a team of the OWTU Executive Officers. The Sports Club was where we held Union meetings, At Penal for special occasions/functions/meetings we were famous for making “ah cook” and having some beverages. So after those meetings by Executive Officers from Head Office we would have the “after meeting get togethers” which were very valuable.

With the beverages taking effect, we would hear some history of battles fought for workers, negotiations, strikes, marches, police harassments, arrests and so on. Apart from our official Union meetings, those “after meeting” meetings also helped to raise the raise the consciousness of workers in general - unwritten history revealed in passionate story-telling. We enjoyed listening to those old blue shirt warriors. The time would pass unnoticed until someone would shout out: “oh gosh comrades, is 10 o’clock time to go!! He might have observed that the beverages were running low.

THE GENERAL COUNCIL

Having to make regular visits to Central Office and interfacing with General Secretary Lionel Bannister and the busybody Doodnath Maharaj was very helpful in guiding me on secretarial functions. Comrade Maharaj and I became very close.

My first General Council meeting was another baptism. A handful of us young newbies joining up with a battery of seasoned stalwarts from the oilfields and other areas at the General Council (GC). At that time, I noticed that there was a sprinkle of Indo branch officers and a large number of Afro Branch Officers at those meetings. Sister Thelma Williams was always present at GC meetings. At the head table was only one little Indo in Comrade Doodnath Maharaj. Among the sprinkle of Indo branch officers were the likes of Comrades Lalchan, Winston Dass, Soogrim Coolman , Harry Gookool . Sylvester Ramquar, P. Sankersingh, Paul Benjamin, myself and maybe two/three more comrades.

I recall stalwarts in Comrade Harrison Thompson (Muscles) and Comrade Renn from San Fernando Branch. Vernon Reese would succeed Renn as Branch President, He was a warrior in a class of his own. With only a handful of Indo members active in OWTU at that level, I was curious as why that was so. At General Council meetings officers would generally gather on time and last to come to the head table would be the towering figure of the PG Weekes. As new Branch Officers, we would be asked to identify ourselves and our branch. My turn to identify myself “I am Comrade Ashton Harrilal Branch Secretary, T&TEC Penal.”

From that day onward PG Weekes would call me “Comrade Penal”. I recall PG would look piercingly into your eyes when speaking to you. I think the GC would start at 9;30 or 10:00 am on either the first or last Saturday of the month. After GC meetings, a certain group of Officers would go to “Mee Mee Restaurant” on Royal Road and have their fill with food and drinks resulting in some huge bills to the Union. The Branch Officers of the GC were given a meal allowance of about $10. Those discrepancies were raised at the GC and a decision taken that GC will begin at 1:30 pm.