-----Original Message-----
From: saiks samateh <[log in to unmask]>
To: jorbateh <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: jorbateh <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 08 July 1999 20:54
Subject: Re: [failure notice]
THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GAMBIAN WORKERS =
Little is being said about the contribution of the Gambian workers in their
struggle to better the condition of Gambian workers before and after
independence.There might be many reason but I am of the opinion that this is
a very important part of the political history of our country,I might even
go to the extend of claiming that our political history will never be
completed without a genuine documentation of this history.This history runs
far
back,even though the classical definition of a working class might not be
fitting at all times.One will here again make it very clear that with Edward
Francis Small,the struggle against colonialism was not basically a working
class struggle,his organization(Gambia Labour Union) embraced different
sections of the Gambian society,this was not accidental,given the social and
economic character of the Gambian society.
The part of this history that has interested me most was that of the Gambia
Workers Union(GWU) under the leadership of M.E Jallow.Here is a man who has
been called a lackey of imperialism,a CIA agent,not only by the Radical left
in the Gambia but his colleges in other parts of Africa.
The reason for this labeling of some one I consider as among the great Trade
Union leaders of our country was basically a dispute that reflects the
impact of the cold war on the struggle of the African people .
However the Gambian working class have a unique history of trade union
struggle,the uncompromising nature of the leadership gave the struggle not
only a workers base but also a mass support. One of the most interesting
breakthrough was the 1961 strike,the secretary general of the serree kunda
branch of the Gwu mr Cabbidon explained; "They used tear gas and batons
and asked me to disperse the crowd,they gave me just
three minutes in which to do;I said I needed 5 minutes "
The reason for this strike was to uplift the condition of the workers,to
better the working conditions and demand legislations that were to protect
the rights of the workers.M.E Jallow who was the secretary general of Union
said
that whiles in negotiation for these rights they found out that they were
wasting time talking "so after 3-4 weeks we started demonstrating without
permit.They used tear gas and shortly there after it brought us big
dividend.The union had come to stay"
In summing up what they gain out of that strike Mr Cabbidon said; "...4
shillings a day for laborers,now it is 5-8 shillings.Before if you are
sick it is your hard;now we have sick leave.Before leave 10 days for 1 year
now 14 days.Before if you are late you would not be paid for that day.
Before the workers have to provide for their own transport;now they must be
provided for.."These are no small victories,they laid the grounds for the
militancy in the union and thus the growth in membership.Gradually they
become the legitimate
representative of the majority of the Gambian workers.This union that
wasexpected or accused of being in the service of imperialism,laid the only
solid opposition to the neo-colonial exploitation of the Gambian workers and
people.It provided the only consistent opposition to exploitation until it
was ban on false charges.
The reason why Jallow and the GWU were referred to as "imperialist lackeys"
was their position during the bitter struggle between the Cassablanca group
of the All-African Trade Union Federation and the Dakar group of Trade Union
Federation.The struggle between these two continental union was a reflection
of the battle of ideas during the open cold war confrontations.GWU was part
of the Dakar base group which was consist of Trade unions from "non radical
" independent African States.Indeed the Casabllanca group was under the
control
of the political party ,in the sense that must of then were an incorporated
member of the rulling party in their countries and this was the last thing
that Jallow and his GWU will accept.
He SAid ,"....I have the highest respect for presidents Toure and Nkurumah
as fighters;they are trying to adapt socialism to African realities;but to
be realistic,the AATUF was built up for idealogical reason.And now in Ghana
they
call workers strikes "Labour indiscipline".We will never bow to such an
attitude to labour.We will not bow to an organization that call workers
strikes labour indiscipline."
This debate that was going on,resulting in a bitter struggle between the
different unions in the continent leaves us with many questions to
answer.Though the Dakar base trade union federation was full of reactionary
union leaders but this was also the case with the Cassablanca group.The
difference were very little and the consistency of the GWU against the
continue exploitation of the workers could not be compared with for example
Ghana Trade Union Congress,which surrendered the independent of its Union to
the CPP.For Nkurumah to call workers strike " labour indiscipline" whiles
the petty bourgeois which consist of his government were corrupt from head
to toe is questionable.When for example members in the Nkuruimah parliament
voted to increase their salary from A3980 to A31800 annually,he never
reacted
but the workers did only to get their salaries increased with 25 shillings
per month
and asked to pay a 5% compulsory contribution towards National
Development.This attitude of subduing the workers organization to the party
was a political blunder,in my opinion there could be no circumstances that
demands for it,the trade union must always be independent,it is only
through this way it could represent the interest of her members. In the
Gambia the situation was different,there was no surrender on the side
of the Trade Union.When the GWU was banned the workers continue their
struggle,though in a much more isolated form.It was clear that the Union
leaders were in contact with workers in one way or the other,thus when the
ban was lifted after almost 8 years it did not take time for the union to
take shape,but this time not as militant as it was.
For Freedom
Saiks
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