Boysie Ramkarran – a true workers leader

This year as we observe the milestone of the centennial anniversary of trade unionism in Guyana and we re-collect the many obstacles that the working-class has overcome in the last 100 years, we are also reminded of the many trade unionists that played critical role in the achievements we proudly celebrate today. One of those well-tested and outstanding leader was Cde Boysie Ramkarran whose 100^th birth anniversary will be celebrated on April 22, 2019.

Cde Ramkarran, as history records it, had a remarkable career as a trade unionist. His first contact with the workers movement came in the latter 1930’s when he was among the founding members of the Transport Workers Union (TWU). Cde Ashton Chase, in his renowned History of Trade Unionism in Guyana: 1900 – 1960, noted that at that time, the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) was the biggest government department, employing the largest number of workers in the then British Guiana. During Cde Ramkarran’s association with the TWU, the Union realized several gains for the workers. One of the prominent struggles of the Union, during Cde Ramkarran’s time, was what has become known as the Teare Strike.

In February, 1948, workers of the T&HD took strike action to protest acts of victimisation against workers by the general manager of the T&HD, Colonel Robert Teare, an Englishman. Teare behaved like a tyrant, showed no respect for the workers’ trade union, and imposed harsh discipline on the employees. He also dismissed a number of workers, among who was Cde Ramkarran. The workers fed up by the actions of Teare took protest action which effectively crippled railway and ferry services. Subsequently, a commission appointed by Governor Woolley investigated the causes of the strike, but while it did little to admonish Teare, it recommended that the dismissed workers must be reinstated. Teare, shortly after, departed for Bermuda where he was offered a job to manage that island’s railway service. Another important gain during Cde Ramkarran’s relations with the TWU was the checkoff arrangement – a system by which union dues are, by consent, deducted by management from the workers’ earnings and paid over to the Trade Union.

Cde Ramkarran became later a member of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) which evolved to become the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). He was subsequently elected as the Party’s Treasurer. In the 1957 elections, Cde Ramkarran contested the Demerara-Essequibo constituency which he won and was appointed as Minister of Communications and Works in the PPP Government. During his stint as a Minister, like in the TWU, he contributed to several remarkable achievements and under his watch many previously unpaved roads were paved and works towards what is now known as the MMA/ADA scheme begun. Today, several of the projects initiated under Cde Ramkarran’s leadership as a Minister still stands and contribute positively to the country and its people.

Following the removal of the PPP from Government by the mid-1960s, Cde Ramkarran returned to the trade union movement, an area of life in which he had strong roots and was most passionate about. In 1974, he became the General Secretary of GAWU. His assumption to the post came at a most critical time for the Union which was waging a sustained battle for the recognition on behalf of the field and factory workers in the sugar industry. That struggle which was, at that time, being pursued for sometime saw workers taking protest action as they demanded that the sugar barons recognize GAWU as their bargaining agent. Sustained protests by the workers saw them in 1975 taking several consecutive weeks of strike action as they heightened their demands. The Government, of the time, recognising the workers vehemence approved the conduct of a poll which saw the workers overwhelmingly supporting their Union – GAWU.

Cde Ramkarran’s knowledge and experience also played a great role in the subsequent negotiation of the Recognition and Avoidance and Settlement of Disputes Agreement between the GAWU and the then Sugar Producers Association (SPA). Given his several years in the TWU and his association with the struggles of the Union, he used his knowledge to ensure that the best possible agreement was hammered out. That agreement which stands to this day and offers several protections to the workers is testimony to his intellect and the commitment Cde Ramkarran had to the workers of Guyana. Undoubtedly, it must have been a proud moment for him when on February 27, 1976 he had to append his signature to the agreement which he had a hand in finalizing.

As Cde Ramkarran closed the chapter on the struggle for GAWU’s recognition, he and the Union continued to face major challenges as it sought a fair deal for the productive and hard-working sugar workers who, during the era of Company Unionism, had many of their conditions and concerns were not given due attention or even disregarded. Almost immediately after recognition a new struggle for equality and fairness begun as the GAWU and the workers, under Cde Ramkarran’s leadership, staged a 135-day strike after the then newly-established GuySuCo in 1977 refused to pay workers profit-share for the years 1974, 1975 and 1976. The issue had its origin in the imposition of the sugar levy in 1974 when the industry was owned by foreign companies. The union since then had insisted that the levy should have been applied only on income remaining to the sugar producers after the workers had received their share of the profits based on the collective agreement on profit-sharing. This issue continued to boil after the sugar industry was nationalised, and GAWU continued to raise it with GuySuCo.

The 135-day strike was marked by widespread police harassment. More than 130 activists of GAWU were arrested on flimsy excuses and most of them were charged for intimidation. Also, some 6,000 scabs to take the places of the striking sugar workers were utilised. Most of these new workers and “volunteers”, had no knowledge of the arduous demands of cane cutting. The strike ended on January 05, 1978 when GAWU announced that it was calling it off. The union praised the militancy of the sugar workers saying that in their struggle against GuySuCo and the government they “came out with their heads held high and seven feet tall”. It was a indeed a trying time for the Union but with the leadership of Cde Ramkarran and other GAWU leaders, the Union stood up militantly in the workers defence. It was yet another demonstration of Cde Ramkarran’s sterling contribution to the sugar workers struggle and the advancement of their rights.

During the subsequent years, GAWU, under Cde Ramkarran’s leadership, continued its work in realizing new conditions and rights for the nation’s sugar workers. It was a period that was not without challenge and saw several remarkable battles of the sugar workers who stood up as they defended their livelihood, demanded their fair share of the pie and raised their voices against the democratic and constitutional transgressions. The GAWU, in the era of Cde Ramkarran, accomplished much and his lessons and traits still remain with the Union. They serve as guiding light as we face up to our now-a-day realities and his work remains an inspiration as we seek a better tomorrow. As we recall Cde Ramkarran’s on his centennial birth anniversary we remember what former President Janet Jagan’s wrote about him. Cde Janet said “Ramkarran, who was so absolutely humble, never beat his own drums. He was excessively modest and seemed to want to be unnoticed, but it was hard not to notice him because of his utter honesty, integrity and loyalty”. Indeed, this is a fitting description of this genuine leader of the workers.