The last quarter of the 1900s saw the commencement of Anguilla’s transformation from a society of own-account workers, like independent fishermen, farmers and shopkeepers, into a society of wage-earners. This came about with the development of our tourism sector in the 1980s. It breathed life into what was basically a subsistence economy where, among other things, major tasks were undertaken by jollification which involved no money, only food and drink. The small farmers and small shopkeepers have virtually disappeared and have given way to cashiers, maids, store clerks, typists, waiters, bartenders, beach boys, security guards and a host of other occupations.

In addition to employment in the hotel and service sector, many workers find employment in the construction sector which is undergoing rapid expansion as a direct consequence of the increasing demand for tourism infrastructure and residential housing. The island’s economy is booming. It is experiencing unprecedented growth. The environment for investment and job creation is good. There is full employment and an acute labour shortage has led to the importation of workers in large numbers. Visit Lake’s Supermarket on a Friday afternoon and you will see them storm the Western Union office sending their earnings back home.
Government is getting some flak for its labour importation policy but it is determined to ensure that the development projects, now under construction, are not delayed. It feels that the sooner the projects are finished the more jobs for Anguillians.
The influx of foreign workers was predicted by Dr Cuthwin Lake several years ago. At that time many people thought he was talking rubbish. I do not know what crystal ball he was looking at, but in the lead up to the 1989 elections he told a campaign meeting that: “We want development; everybody agrees. But we will not stand for a ‘coolly’ economy. We will not stand for a ‘coolly’ economy with poor wages, poor standards and intolerable conditions for the workers.”
Most certainly, we have to avoid any attempt at depressing wages to the detriment of Anguillian workers. However, for the time being, the signs that our workers are making money are very visible. For example, on Monday 13th November, Shop 4 Less opened a furniture store upstairs the Eldorado Mall at Water Swamp and our people flocked there in droves. The parking space had no parking space. All taken up. Inside the building there was hardly walking space. And everybody wanted a large flat screen television. That is Anguilla. Its people spend every cent on luxury items while their children go without books and other necessities.

Notwithstanding that there is plenty money around, there is a lot of room for improvements in workers’ pay and other conditions of work. These improvements will not come easily because, as Claudel Romney reminded the House of Assembly on 27th May 2003, “large entities do not have a social conscience.” Their primary concern is the maximisation of profits and most often the less they pay workers the higher their profits.
On the other hand, a primary concern of workers is the maximisation of returns from their labour. Such returns cannot be fully realised through individual effort. That is like spinning top in mud. They can only be realised through the collective efforts of all workers. As our economy continues to heat up, the complexities of the labour market – of labour relations – suggest that Government’s Labour Department may not have the capacity to deal effectively with the many disputes which are bound to arise.
In my view, the Labour Department is understaffed. It definitely needs strengthening because workers seem to have little confidence in its ability to address adequately their concerns. As a matter of fact, some of them had long regarded the department as not being very helpful. Listen to Lyndon Duncan (1994): “I have had so many problems with the Labour Office that if I have a problem [no matter] how big it is I would never go there because you don’t get representation.” And today some employers are making fun at it. A few weeks ago a worker called one of the radio talk shows and reported that an expatriate supervisor, at one of the development projects, said that he had no respect for the Labour Commissioner because he (the Commissioner) was a trained Librarian with no experience in labour relations.
I have no reason to question the expertise of the Labour Commissioner but what I would say is that the present structure, staffing and operations of his department give people the impression that it is nothing more than a work permit factory. Its production rate, I do not know but I understand it could be around 50 work permits per day. It is doing well in that regard but its effectiveness in the area of labour relations is a cause for concern.
It is partly against that backdrop that Anguillians must put in place their own mechanism for the protection and advancement of their interests. At some point in time they will have to join forces by way of a workers’ union. The primary function of a union is the social upliftment of its members. It is concerned with the common good – with the advancement of workers’ welfare.
A union could assist its members in getting better compensation packages – better wages and fringe benefits. It could assist in bringing about improvements in workplace conditions, most importantly with respect to health and safety. Further, where it is strong in numbers a union has the capacity to pressure Government into passing legislation favourable to workers. Such legislation may include provisions for more humane maternity or medical leave and better holiday and overtime entitlements. It could include provisions for severance pay and unemployment insurance.
I now highlight two issues with which workers in Anguilla have been concerned for many years, and I make the point that if there was a workers’ union the issues would have been resolved long ago. One is the distribution of service charge. Year after year workers have complained that management in some hotels is ripping them off and that some managers often pay a portion of their wage bills out of service charge collections. Regrettably, our workers are still complaining about this malpractice and I feel quite sure that if there was a workers’ union every worker would be getting his or her fair share of the service charge. Why? The union would have insisted that Government revisit the service charge legislation and remove the loopholes which allow managers to exploit workers. And the loopholes would have been removed. There is strength in numbers.
The second issue is the absence of a minimum wage for Anguilla. A minimum wage was promised by government after government but to this day nothing has happened. It still remains a promise. The ANA promised, in the early 1990s, to look at it. It did nothing. In 1994 Hubert Hughes told a political meeting that, “We [ADP/AUP] will ensure that there is a minimum wage in the tourism sector which is respectable.” The ADP/AUP has come and gone but no minimum wage. In recent years the United Front continues to promise to give it some urgent attention. Thus far we have been getting more froth than mauby. Our Governments promise and promise and promise. Surely, Anguilla is a land of promise.

By the way, at a meeting of the House of Assembly on Tuesday 21st February 2006, Hubert Hughes (an opposition member) moved a motion for an amendment to our labour legislation to provide for the establishment of “a basic minimum wage for different categories of work, as well as severance pay for all categories of workers,” but nobody, neither from government nor opposition, seconded it. But come general elections, 2010, all parties will again be promising to establish a minimum wage for Anguilla. If only there was a workers’ union, a minimum wage would have been in place long time. Why? The union would have insisted that Government implemented it. Government would have had much difficulty in doing otherwise.

I emphasise here that workers could do a lot for themselves if they work as one body and speak with one voice. They could move mountains if they would come together as a strong and responsible union. Fortunately, times are changing. Workers all across the island are aware that its economy is booming – that wealth is being created. And more than that. Workers are alert to the fact that their labour has played, and continues to play, a major role in the creation of that wealth and saying that they deserve a greater share of it.

Anguillian workers are beginning to appreciate that if they are to get a greater share of the wealth they need to unite. There is a growing consciousness among them that a union is their only saviour – is the best vehicle for their advancement. They are realising that only workers can advance workers’ interests.

Workers are also realising that they cannot entrust the advancement of their interests entirely to politicians. They remain unhappy, for example, that very little has been done to ensure they get their fair share of service charge; and to establish a minimum wage for the island. In one of his campaign speeches, in the lead up to the 1994 elections, Albert (Belto) Hughes promised that he would make sure that all workers were paid decent wages. In his own words: “I can assure you that the day you vote for the AUP, that this Belto that you see standing before you, every man will tremble because I am sure that they have to give you a decent wage.” That was twelve years ago. Today, many people continue to complain about their low wages and we are yet to see employers tremble.
The history of our governments’ involvement in labour issues does not put them in good light. It is to their credit that they have nurtured the political and investment climate for job creation but they have not put in place the legislation necessary for workers’ protection and for ensuring that they get a bigger slice of the economic cake.
Further, the history of our governments’ involvement in labour issues has shown that they are more inclined to supporting the interests of the business class than the interests of the working class. Actually, it cannot be otherwise because government and business, especially big business, are one and the same. They are bed-mates.
Members of government and business, especially big business, belong to the same social class. They attend the same social functions – drink champagne and expensive wines together and our ministers of government get the most kisses. Belto had promised, in 1993, that if elected to office his party would avoid getting too wrapped up with big business. Listen to him: “The Anguilla United Party welcomes investors but will not stand idly by and knock champagne glasses with exploiters.” Nowadays Belto is knocking champagne glasses big time, and with style. This reminds me of the late Lord Anything’s calypso (2001) Things Getting Tight:

. . . Check dem [ministers] carefully,
They knocking glass and laughing at we . . .

Without a doubt government and business are bed-mates but unequal partners because government always ends up being a tool of big business. I have long made the point that whenever it comes to taking a stand between labour and business, governments always take the side of business. They are definitely not friends of workers.

It is that reality, among other considerations, which is causing workers to lose faith in our governments’ ability to advance and protect their interests. So I say to all workers, “take up thy bed and walk.” Walk together as a trades and labour union and look after your own interests. Walk together and maximise the returns from your labour. It is a waste of time lying down – or sitting back – waiting for government or politicians to do everything for you. They cannot even if they want to. Forget government. Forget politicians. Think union. One created by workers and for workers. Take up thy bed and walk.

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