INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Frank Carter,

Honouree

Pg 1

International Elec-

toral Observers Play

Courtesy Call on

Pg 4

Labour Day made an

Official Holiday

Pg 5

President’s Walk-A-

Thon & Souse Out

Pg. 6

Useful Links Pg. 8

Now Your Rights Pg. 9

May, 2012 V o l u m e 4

National Congress of Trade Unions of the Bahamas

This year’s Sir Randol Fawkes Labour Day

honouree is Frank D. C. Carter. Brother Frank C.

C. Carter is a veteran trade unionist who has dedi-

cated a lifetime to the trade union movement in

the Bahamas. He began his career in 1968 at Ba-

hamasairways Limited as an avionics technician

where Philip Smith the then secretary/treasure

signed him up as a member of the Airport, Airline

and Allied Workers Union (A.A.A.W.) which was

led by Cardwell Armbrister, thus began his so-

journ in the trade union movement. He later

joined Out Island Airway in 1972 when the Baha-

mas Government bought that company along

with Flamingo Airways to begin Bahamasair in

June 1973 and was instrumental in encouraging

his coworkers to join the A.A.A.W.

In 1976 Mr. Carter was elected unopposed as Sec-

retary/Treasurer and was first elected President

in 1981. Brother Carter’s skills as a trade unionist

was recognized by veterans in the field namely

Reginald Grant, David Knowles, Sir Randol

Fawkes and Bobby Glinton who mentored him.

David Knowles was also extremely influential in

the selection of Brother Carter to attend the

American Institute for Free Labour Development

and the George Meany Labour college in America.

He also studies a the Labour Colleges in Barba-

dos, Guyana and Trinidad. Mr. Carter also lead

the Education Committees at the TUC and

NCTUB and continues to help in the training and

development of young trade unionist at the

NCTUB’s Labour College.

In 1976 Mr. Carter was elected

unopposed as Secretary/Treasurer and

was first elected President in 1981.

Brother Carter’s skills as a trade unionist

was recognized by veterans in the field

namely Reginald Grant, David Knowles,

Sir Randol Fawkes and Bobby Glinton

who mentored him. David Knowles was

also extremely influential in the selec-

tion of Brother Carter to attend the

American Institute for Free Labour De-

velopment and the George Meany La-

bour college in America. He also studies

a the Labour Colleges in Barbados, Guy-

ana and Trinidad. Mr. Carter also lead

the Education Committees at the TUC

and NCTUB and continues to help in the

training and development of young

trade unionist at the NCTUB’s Labour

College.

Electoral observers from the CARICOM Mission (Mr. Orrette Fisher, Director of Elec-

tion, Electoral Office, Jamaica and Mr. Gasper JN. Baptiste, Deputy Chief Elections Offi-

cer, Saint Lucia) played a courtesy call on the National Congress of Trade Unions of the Ba-

hamas (NCTUB) 3rd May, 2012. The Mission was in the Bahamas at the invitation of the

Government of the Bahamas to observe the 2012 general elections.

While in the Bahamas, the team visited with various groups to gain insight into the

Bahamian electoral process. When interviewed Mr. Fisher remarked that Bahamians seem

very engaged in the electoral process and the country had a very high voter turnout.

Representatives of the mission thought to meet with executives of the NCTUB be-

cause workers represent a very large constituency. During the visit some of the concerns

raised by the Congress are as follow:

The need for campaign financial reform

The need for an independent boundaries commission

The need to educate Bahamians on the electoral process

The need for secrecy in the voting process

P A G E 4 V O L U M E 4

From left to right Frank Carter, Orrette Fisher, Gasper JN. Baptiste, Mario Curry

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 4

During the time of World War 11, Edward, Duke of Windsor served as governor of the Ba-

hama Islands. It was during his term of office that the Burma Road Riot occurred. This event

was destined to change the social, economic and political fabric of life in The Bahamas.

In this article, Sir Randol F. Fawkes (1924-2000), better known as the Father of Labour in The

Bahamas, gives an eyewitness account of the day he saw “hundreds of ragged, black workers

moving downhill towards us. I thought all the gates of hell hand opened and the demons let

loose.”

Sir Randol Francis Fawkes was knighted by her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11 for the con-

tribution he made to the development of trade unionism in The Bahamas. Sir Randol Fawkes,

elder statesman, attorney-at-law, free trade unionist, civil rights activist, sportsman, author and

musician, changed the course of Bahamian history when he helped to usher in majority rule

in the country in 1967.

On Friday, June 3, 1962, one of the happiest days in the life of the Labour Movement,

I wept unashamedly before approximately 20,000 people. The occasion marked the first

workers’ celebration of Labour Day as an official public holiday.

As usual, I was standing before a microphone reminiscing our whole story from slavery

to within a glimpse of the Promised Land. “In the past I may have addressed you as the

trembling organizer of an ordinary union, but today I call you forth as the captain of a

mighty host. In tribute to all our brothers and sisters who died, whether by industrial acci-

dent or otherwise, I now invite you to bow your heads in observance of a moment’s silence.”

They did.

During that minute, the picture of the past sacrifices of my people so flooded my mind

that at the end of the sixty seconds, with tears streaming down my face, I uttered aloud, “In

a seventh heaven of freedom, pray God let my brothers and sisters awake!”

Information courtey of www.sirrandolfawkes.com

Sir Randol Fawkes gives address, Labour Day Parade 1962

P A G E 6 V O L U M E 4

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 4

V O L U M E 4 P A G E 8

ILO Turin Centre

http://www.itcilo.org/en

International Trade Union Confederation http://www.ituc-csi.org/rio-20.html

the ILO Workers' Relations Bureau http://www.ilo.org/actrav/lang--en/index.htm

Decent Work Country Programme, The Bahamas

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/program/dwcp/download/bahamas.pdf

ILO Caribbean

http://www.ilo.org/ipec/Regionsandcountries/LatinAmericaandCaribbean/lang--en/index.htm

Trade Union History, Bahamas www.nctu-bahamas.org

www.sirrandolfawkes.com

P A G E 9 V O L U M E 4

P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E 4

Dear Friends, We are very happy to have completed second addition of the newsletter for the National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas and we would like to thank each and everyone one of you who took the time to make a contribution. The name of the newsletter is The Workers’ Voice which was a name that Sir Randol Fawkes gave to the Bahamas Federation of Labor's newspaper in 1959. This current newsletter gives to you, the worker, a voice—a means to communicate with your fellow brothers and sisters in the union. Additionally, through the Work-ers’ Voice, you now have the opportunity of profiling your union and the work that you are doing. It is our aim to introduce to you all of the affiliate unions attached to the NCTU. In each edition, we also will bring you content that is historical in nature. History informs us of the struggles that our forbears underwent and the debt of appreciation that we owe them for the sacrifices made. The newsletter will also enable us to document the history that is being made to day so that future generations will be inspired by our efforts . Finally would you like to be apart of this communications ven-ture? Do you have a story to tell, an opinion to share? Do you have English, photography, graphic arts design skills? If your an-swer is ―Yes‖ then we would appreciate hearing from you. With thanks

National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas Ph: 242-356-7459 Fax: 3242-56-7457 E-mail: ncongress@hotmail.com Website: nctu-bahamas.org