May Day

By Rusiripala Tennakoon –MAY 1, 2020

Rusiripala Tennakoon

Today is the World Labour Day, more popularly known as the May Day. World History records it as the day of commemoration for the workers of United States who agitated at the cost of several human lives and with much blood shed, during the demonstrations and the strike, demanding an 8 hour working day, starting on 1st may 1886 in the United States, culminating in the famous Haymarket square Massacre. No single event has influenced the history of labour in the entire world as much as the Haymarket affair. On this historic day still remaining dedicated to the working class ever since,  we recall with great respect those happenings.

The  hardships, faced by mostly immigrant workers during the period between 1882 and 1886, led towards an Organizational buildup demanding better working conditions. Workers had to toil exceeding 60 hours during a 6 day-week. The response of the Employers was extremely hostile and  instead of acceding to the just demands they resorted to anti-union measures such as sacking, discriminating against unionized workers, lockouts, enrolling black-legs, and even employing hooligans and thugs to divide and terrorize the workers. 

Targeting May 1, 1886 to be the day for starting a 8 hour- day, the organizations campaigned for it from 1984. On Saturday, 1 May 1886, about half a million went into action joining in rallies, demonstrations and went on strike. Nearly 40,000 workers went on a stoppage of work  in Chicago. The strike continued and on 3rd May a confrontation between  non- striking employees with the strikers, developed into big brawl. The Police previously summoned by the factory owners to give protection to the strike breakers fired on the crowds killing two persons.

This police action caused an outrage which forced the strikers to stage a stronger protest on the following day. With fliers and notices circulated they organized a mammoth rally at the Haymarket Square in the City, with the slogan, ‘to seek justice against the murder of strikers by the Police’. It was a well-attended rally with over 3000 workers participating conducted peacefully, watched by a large Police  battalion stationed nearby. When it was very late in the evening at about 10 pm, a posse of policemen suddenly broke in to the meeting place ordering the meeting to be stopped and the workers to disperse. Then a bomb was thrown at the advancing police party by some unknown person which exploded killing two policemen and mortally injuring 6 other officers. Enraged, police started to fire into the crowds. The actual number of casualties has not been determined, but the civilian deaths has been estimated to be about 8. Fleeing workers were shot at causing fatal injuries. The police deaths as later confirmed by evidence , except for one resulting from the bomb throw, has been due to the indiscriminate police shooting killing their own officers in the darkness of night.

Eight activists were arrested and a mock trial with handpicked Jurors, convicted them for murder. On 11th November 1887, after many trials in appeal three persons were hung to death.  One person committed suicide in the prison cell on the night before the hanging. The other 4 convicted were subsequently pardoned by Authorities publicly condemning the travesties of the infamous judgement. The people who took leadership in that historic struggle are treated as martyrs of the working class and the 1st of May as the day of remembrance of the Haymarket Heroes as a  day dedicated as the International Workers’ day. Owing to the people who  sacrificed their life and blood, and those who became victims of mock trials to be hanged, and their families burned down to the ground, we enjoy a 8-hour working day with Saturday as a week end. 

On this day, we will be failing in our duty on behalf of the oppressed and the working class in Sri Lanka  (then Ceylon), if we fail to pay our tributes to one of the pioneering Trade Union leaders popularly known as the “ Father of the Labour Movement”. He is none other than Alexander Ekanayake Gunasinghe ( 1May 1891- 1August 1967), himself was born on the May day. History provided me the graet opportunity to be in his shoes for nearly a decade leading the Ceylon Bank Employees Union {CBEU} as its President, founded by A.E. Gunasinghe.

He is remembered today as the undisputed Leader who spearheaded the country’s Trade Union movement. His activities were prominent in several fields. He was a social worker, a freedom fighter, a politician turned Trade Union Leader who was accepted as an Advocate of the Poor. His political career started with the formation of the CEYLON LABOUR PARY in 1928 associated with several other prominent personalities like, C.W.W. Kannangara, George E de Silva, and C.E. Corea to mention a few. Late President Premadasa too was in the committee. A.E. Gunesinghe engaged in his Public and Social activities during a period when the Country was under the rule of the British empire. The Colonial background and the oppression the people faced under it, made him to rise up, as a freedom fighter, and a radical who braved all odds with his daring qualities, as a courageous leader, fighting for the rights of the workers. 

Gunesinghe started his national freedom struggles in association with Anagarika Dharmapala joining his Temperance Movement, soon after he was released from custody, arrested on account of the 1915 riots. He was imprisoned with leaders like D.S. Senanayake, F.R. Senanayake and D.B.Jayatilleke. Two others who were taken into custody with them, C.A. Hewavitharana and Henry Pedris were shot under military law under fabricated criminal charges. Gunesighe along with others fought valiantly against the Colonial Government and stood as a prominent figure revolting against taxes imposed by the British on poor people. Gunesinghe gave leadership to defy those, himself becoming a victim for penalization under which he was made to break rocks by hand. The monument put up as a memorial in the Gunesinghepura area, later named in his honour, depicts this episode.

A.E. Gunasinghe’s involvements in the Trade Union Movement in Sri Lanka marks several mile stones. He founded the first Trade Union, “Ceylon Labour Union” in 1922. A series of defiant struggles led by him succeeded in bringing about great measures of relief to the working population in the country. 

The Government railway strike, 1923, succeeded in obtaining a 20% salary increase and casual and Sick leave rights.

Harbor Workers Strike (1929) was another important Strike action initiated by his Union and it resulted in a wage increase of 0.25 cts and a lunch break of 15 minutes.

Tram Workers Strike, 1929 was one which sparked off many clashes and troubles. Police harassment of the strikers spread the strike to other sectors of the working class and gave rise to large demonstrations. A clash took place between the Police and the Strikers and the Maradana police station was set on fire. The unrelenting employers were forced to come to a negotiated settlement after 13 days of strike action.

A significant factor that needs emphasis about the role of A.E. Gunasinghe in the labour movement of the country is that he achieved many good results while the British Government and the Leading Employers were reluctant to recognize the radicals who controlled the militant urban labour movement. Despite this his Union movement was successful in persuading some liberal employers to enter into historic collective agreements incorporating landmark terms and conditions highly beneficial to the workers. This was an indirect acceptance by the British that the  articulate group of urban workers, politicized and educated, associated with radical leaders was a group that should be recognized as a group capable of championing the interests of the workers.

Gunesinghe’s expansion into a country wide Trade Unions movement culminated with his entry into the banking Industry in 1943. Employees in many Imperial and Colonial Banks were unionized under the Ceylon Bank Clerk’s Union formed by A.E. Gunasinghe as its first President. It was registered on 1st September 1944. During this period bank employees were working under enormous hardships and the Colonial masters treated them shabbily. Bank clerks were made to work several hours a day beyond the normal periods without any OT payments. Salaries, increments, promotions and even the super-annuation payments were highly discretionary and worst of all discriminatory. Locals were ill- treated  in granting promotions and placements. 

The Unionization of the banking Industry and the militancy that was associated with the movement brought about a marked change not only in the banking industry but served as an impetus to the other sections of the working class in the country. The union was successful in winning many industrial awards of lasting benefits due to the Industrial actions which led to the appointment of Commissions and Industrial Arbitrations. There were several Strike actions launched in the banks by the Union and they resulted in the employees securing, holidays, overtime payments, super-annuation schemes, regular annual increments and equitable promotions etc.etc. Certain land mark Awards such as the Roberts Award 1944, Thambiah Award. St Claire Swan Award, each of which guaranteed rights and privileges the employers were refusing to grant earlier.

A.E. Gunasinghe’s public role was crowned with his entering into politics. In 1931 he was elected as the first member of the Colombo central electorate and was elected to the Colombo Municipality in 1940. He became the first Ceylonese Mayor of Colombo in 1943. In 1947 he entered parliament as the first member for the Colombo Central electorate and became a minister in the  D.S. Senanyake cabinet.

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