A Letter to Brother OldenBroek (Bahamas Federation Of Labour)
THE BAHAMAS FEDERATION OF LABOUR
P. O. Box 451,
Nassau, N. P., Bahamas,
20th March, 1956.
Dear Brother Oldenbroek,
"WHEREAS the Bahamas Federation of Labour has conducted an organizing campaign throughout the Bahama Islands which has resulted in the formation and consolidation of seven (7) unions composing the greatest number of organized workers in the Bahamas;
"AND WHEREAS The Trade Unions Act of 1943 (the only Act dealing with collective bargaining) is defective in its sections on picketing and on acts done in contemplation or furtherance of trade disputes and at present denies the largest group of workers in the Bahamas the right to form labour unions and to engage in collective bargaining;
"AND WHEREAS powerful industrial forces combined with an anti-labour government are placing almost insurmountable obstacles in the way of the free trade union movement which, if allowed to go uncheck, will eventually frustrate the workers and eliminate trade unionism;
"AND WHEREAS Trade Union Legislation in the Colony is so restrictive that the Bahamas cannot share in the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund which was instituted by the United Kingdom to help economically backward Colonies and the implementation of which would constitute a giant step toward realization of the goal of the Bahamian people for full employment;
"BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Bahamas Federation call upon the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions to lend full economic, financial and moral support to the Federation in its efforts to organize all workers in all the Bahama Islands"
The above resolution was duly carried at a duly constituted meeting of the Executive Board of the Bahamas Federation of Labour held on Sunday the 18th March, 1956. The natural geography of these Island make organizational work an expensive business. In spite of this we have recently
done a remarkable job at Grand Bahama but lack of the attitudes of Government and industrial enterprises make a collective bargaining agreement almost an impossibility.
On behalf of the Federation I have also been directed to acknowledge the receipt of your circular letter of the 20th January, 1956, informing us of the ICFTU Executive Board Meeting to be held on the 25th to the 30th June, 1956. The Federation submits for the consideration of the Executive Board the following proposal:
"THE INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE FREEPORT AND THE INDUSTRIAL CENTER NOW BEING ESTABLISHED AT HAWKSBILL CREEK, GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS, AND THE ADVISABILITY OF THE ICFTU HAVING AN EXPERT OBSERVER ON THE SPOT DURING THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE WORKS."
With many thanks and awaiting an early reply,
Fraternally yours,
THE BAHAMAS FEDERATION OF LABOUR
per Wm F. Mallory
William F. Mallory, President.
J. H. Oldenbroek, Esq.,
General Secretary,
24 rue du Lombard,
Brussels, BELGIUM.
