Interview: Radhakrisna Sadien: “We want nothing more than jobs”

Labour Day celebrations this year had a special significance as the main preoccupation of trade unions and workers alike is the search for a consensus on a minimum wage for salary earners. In 1950, following a motion tabled by Guy Rozemont in the Legislative Council, that Labour Day was declared a public holiday officially – that is a paid day for workers who don’t have to work on that particular day. More than half a century later, Labour Day is still celebrated as a public holiday on the 1st of May. But has it the same significance as in the 1950’s? News on Sunday searched for the views of Radhakrisna Sadien, president of the Government Services Employees Association (GSEA), which has celebrated its 50th anniversary recently.

Is it still relevant to celebrate Labour Day?

Labour Day is a special day for workers worldwide. While workers globally seize this opportunity to demonstrate publicly by the side of their unions, people in Mauritius, including workers, blindly follow political parties in public meetings. It is true to say that political parties provide free transport as well as food to those people; thus leaving trade unions with little choice to gather a crowd and to discuss current issues pertaining to the welfare of workers. The day people realise that they are being taken for a ride by politicians, it would be too late. The 1st of May is a memorable day for workers. This should be used to pay tribute for all former leaders in the trade union movement starting from the pioneers such as Emmanuel Anquetil, Guy Rozemont, Mohun Prasad Sharma Jugdambi, among others as well as to reflect on the future challenges facing workers and trade unions. By the way, the labour movement should never forget Sir Gaetan Duval, QC, who always sided with workers when his help was sought. As the father of the famous Cost of Living Allowance, Sir Gaetan has always helped the GSEA without claiming a single cent; which is a rare commodity nowadays. Trade unions worldwide are demanding decent work for all, as well as an end to the continuous attacks on trade union rights across the world. We want nothing more than jobs that provide decent salaries and social security with safe working conditions.

In the public sector we keep on saying that Quality Services can only be delivered by workers whose rights are fully respected. It is the union's role to defend and advance fundamental rights and conditions of work for all workers across the globe regardless of status, origin, gender.

The United Nations has set Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. Can this become a reality?

Some of the threats to Sustainable Development are:

Poverty or relative poverty needs to be addressed urgently. Poverty anywhere is a threat to security. It is a fact that one out of every two Africans live in poverty, that is with less than 2 USD per day while Africa has lots of resources. Even if inequality is declining, it still is high in some countries. There are even wide inequalities among regions. High level of unemployment in many countries. Youth unemployment is like a time bomb if not addressed in the correct manner

Climate Change. It cannot be denied that industrialisation is responsible for the carbon emission in the atmosphere. Currently, waste disposal is a real challenge.

Rising insecurity. The growing insecurity in many parts of the world is a cause for concern, ethnic conflicts, xenophobia, terrorist attacks… Poor safety conditions which affect women mostly. Vulnerable jobs like contractual, part time or in the informal economy.

What are some of the current challenges facing unions?

I think Labour Day should be an opportunity for leaders, along with members of society, to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, i.e., to make one’s mea culpa, with the aim of improving the quality of services offered to the workers.

It is said whether rightly or wrongly that the multiplicity of unions is a sign of democracy.

But can a small country like Mauritius afford to have 400 trade unions with more than 30 federations and around 10 confederations?

I am not pointing fingers here, as we are all on the same boat. But somewhere, somehow, something has to be done. Many unions have a declining membership though the number of unions has kept on increasing. We have to address the poor management of trade unions. Do we have adequate data on membership, for example domestic workers, migrants, contract workers and part time workers? How to address the lack of solidarity support whether internally or among unions? At times, members have a wrong impression of the role of a union as they consider it as a welfare association or a bank which grants loans. One should not forget that the first mission of a trade union is to defend and protect its members and fight for their rights.

What should be done according to you?

I humbly believe that unions should do more to 'Organise, Mobilise and Innovate' if we want to keep our heads above the water. The overriding goal of organising is to recruit new members including women and young workers to build strong unions. Unions have to extend their coverage to cater for the needs of migrants and contract workers. The need is badly felt to improve internal as well as external communications. New skills in Collective Bargaining techniques have to be developed. Capacity building programme and development of additional skills on a continuous basis is a must. 

While acting locally, unions should also think globally and be prepared to intervene on economic and social issues. We should be a key driver in the promotion of social dialogue and mobilise ourselves for a sustainable development. We must all rise up against mediocrity and always look for a quality service wherever we are. The need to promote a sense of democracy, perseverance and commitment, good governance at all times. Mobilising members is as important as organising meetings and forums. Being a member of a union alone does not help if the person does not participate in meetings, assemblies or gatherings of the trade union. As it is human nature to look for new needs, the union has to innovate to take into account members need – use of technology for example.

What is your message on the occasion of Labour Day?

The working class has the same needs, same interests and same enemies. We can only stop exploitation we are subjected to if we are united. With what we are witnessing with successive governments at promoting neo-liberal policies, there is no better time than now for us to forget our differences and come together to fight for the interest of workers. Tomorrow will then be a different day and we will be proud for that. If we continue along the same beaten track the new generation will not forgive us.