§ Mr. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make a statement with regard to the present conditions in Trinidad?
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Mr. M. MacDonaldAccording to a recent report received from the Officer Administering the Government of Trinidad and Tobago it appears that conditions in the Colony are fairly satisfactory, though the labour position is not likely to become normal until the present negotiations in regard to matters in dispute have reached finality.
It is hoped that the dispute in the oil industry will be referred to arbitration under the recently enacted Trades Disputes (Arbitration and Inquiry) Ordinance.
The question of arbitration in the sugar industry has been considered but no final decision has yet been reached.
Both the oil and sugar employers have introduced improved conditions for labour since July, 1937. In oil, wages have been increased by 2 cents an hour and many workers have also received merit advances. Special attention is being given to welfare work. In sugar, two-thirds of the industry has received increases in wages—by 10 per cent. in case of men receiving more than one dollar a day, and by ten cents for others. Hours have also been reduced, in some cases without reduction of pay. The remainder of the workers have been granted small increases. Other employers have also increased rates of pay and improved conditions.
Generally it may be said that trade unionism is gaining strength, but its success will naturally depend a great deal upon the sense of responsibility of its leaders both towards their followers and the community as a whole.
Government is considering statutory wage fixing machinery for those trades and industries in which no adequate machinery exists for effectively regulating wages, but every effort is being made to encourage organised employers and employed to work out their wage problems by joint negotiations, and, where that fails, to place at the disposal of the disputants alternative methods for settlement.