UWI political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath says questions remain over the ability of trade unions to persuade their members to vote in a particular way in any national election.
He expressed this view on June 21, in response to a call by Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) president Ancel Roget for the creation of a national front alliance against the PNM in next year's general election.
At a Labour Day rally in Fyzabad on June 19, Roget said, "In the coming weeks, with the exception of TTUTA (Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association) and any other paid political trade unions, with the exception of them, we in the trade union movement have agreed to meet all opposing forces and all political parties, including the UNC.”
At May Day celebrations in San Fernando, TTUTA president Martin Lum Kin said while the union had several issues it was addressing with the Education Ministry on behalf of teachers, it had never aligned itself with any political party.
Roget said the purpose of the meetings was not to form a new political party.
“We have a political party, the MSJ, and we will also be meeting with the MSJ.
“The purpose of those meetings is to build a national front alliance to remove the PNM from office come next general election.”
While the creation of a national front alliance is possible, Ragoonath said the question remains whether such an arrangement would have the effect that JTUM wants.
"Historically, what we have seen is that whereas the trade union leaders may call or may suggest that there is such unity, the mere fact remains that they do not necessarily command the voting positions of their membership."
Ragoonath said the pattern had repeated over time where trade unions "call over and over again for certain types of actions, yet still they don't get it."
He noted that Roget mentioned the labour movement already had a political party in the form of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ).
"But notwithstanding that they have their own political party, they have not been able to get their membership to actually vote for that political party."
Ragoonath said when the political fortunes of the MSJ to date were analysed, "what you may see is whereas the unions may call for unity and call on their membership to support a particular political party, that does not necessarily suggest that the membership will blindly follow the call from the leadership."
On June 20, the Prime Minister did not view the proposed national front alliance by JTUM posing any political threat to the PNM.
Referring to the formation of the People's Partnership coalition in 2010, Dr Rowley said it has been proven that any marriage of convenience has been detrimental to the national interest.
Fluctuating labour-political relationships over time.
RELATIONS between trade unions and political parties have not always been amicable over the years.
In 2010, Roget and other labour leaders campaigned actively through the MSJ against the PNM.
The MSJ became one of five political parties which formed the People’s
