AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Culture BOOK ON TRADE UNION MOVEMENT HITS BOOKSTORES

The trade union movement in Belize has a long and storied history. And today, a new book seeks to lay bare the contributions of Nicholas Pollard Senior, one of the movement's powerful players. The book, Understanding the role of the Christian Trade unions in the making of modern Belize is written by Pollard's son Nick Pollard Junior and seeks to provide a historical perspective of the movement. Pollard spoke with Love News via telephone this afternoon and said that the book is a must-read for every student.

Nicholas Pollard - Author
"The book is about the development of the trade unions in the 1960s. During the 1960s there had what they called the Christian Trade Union and there were problems and at the helm of all the Christian Workers Union was Nicholas Pollard Sr. What I have done, I have presented the life of Nicholas Pollard Sr. as the leading force in the trade union movement in the 1960s. There is a story that develops in the book that has to do with the unions and the Government which surrounds the construction of Belmopan during that era."

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Nicholas Pollard releases book on the Trade Union Movement in Belize

Nicholas Anthony Pollard Jr. is the eldest son of deceased trade unionist, Nick Pollard Sr.. Nick Pollard Sr was an active unionist in the 1960's when Belize was still a British colony. FOOTAGE - Having been exposed to such an environment, Nicholas Jr. felt compelled to publish a book which chronologically speaks on the birth of the Trade Union movement and its contribution towards present day Belize. After two years of research and compiling; the author today launched his book in Belmopan which is entitled "Understanding the Role of the Christian Trade Unions in the Making of Modern Belize: A Historical Perspective"

Nicholas Anthony Pollard Jr.
It is such an important document for any teacher in the high schools, universities and for the homes, because this is information that will keep coming up over the years, because the trade union movement is a scientific organization that is like a master plan for any political person that wants to move into the political movement and that is where the game is and where the seed areas. As I think Nigel pointed out earlier, both the politicians and the trade unions were all one. It is important for our young people to know our history because when we understand our history we can cope better with the events of today. The book is extremely exciting; the name of the book may lead you astray, but it is a mix of the trade union movement, the vents in Belmopan that why I chose to have the launch here. It also brings out a factor that has been in dial for many years and that is of the Catholic and the Anglican religion, which has been kept in isolation, when in fact it was real.

Pollard expresses that he had a great love for his father and that he is very much passionate about his history. He also said that today's publication will not be his last.

Nicholas Anthony Pollard Jr.
I hope that I will be able to write several books on the history of Belize, in fact, I will be publishing another book next year September which is my birthday and the birthday of Belize; in September we celebrate Independence Day, the birth of the PUP on September 29, we celebrate the split of the PUP and the Philip Goldson fraction which took place on the 27 September, it was a Thursday night at 8p.m and the National Federation of Christian Trade Union as actually formed in the later part of September, early October. So September is a very rich month in Belize and it is actually my month for History and the book I am publishing next year is called 'The Jaws of Politics.'

Understanding the Role of the Christian Trade in the Making of Modern Belize: A historical Perspective sells for $30BZE and will be available in bookstores across the country very soon.

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A History Of Trade Unions In Belize

And, from women in politics�to workers unions and politics.

Students of history will know that the labour movement and the nationalist movement, which spawned the PUP, are inextricably bound. And that's what makes a new book from Nick Pollard so interesting.

It's called, "Understanding The Role Of The Christian Trade Unions In the Making Of Modern Belize."

And while the title may sound like just a drab recounting of the genesis of the Trade Union movement, in fact, it is a fascinating examination of the undercurrents that shaped the nationalist movement and modern Belize.

The book was launched yesterday and he told us about it this afternoon:..

Jules Vasquez
"What is this book, the story about? What time span is included in it and what are the events that it looks at?"

Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Ok, the time span is from 1961 after hurricane Hattie until 1969 - July 1969. That is the area where Nick Pollard Senior, reached his most powerful position in the trade union movement and as I put it, when he met his waterloo in 1969."

"The story develops around an event that took place in Belmopan when the British government in cooperation with the Belize government signed a contract to build Belmopan. What happened, Belize had its worst strike, now this is information that Belizeans don't know. Belize had its worst strike in 1969, which lasted 26 days and the information that unfolds around it, brings to light the divide that existed between Anglican unions and Christian unions."

Jules Vasquez
"Was the union movement and the nationalist movement and the PUP therefore, were those inextricably intertwined?"

Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"They were, they were one body it was almost like saying they were the Holy Spirit, three persons in one God. They were very much entwined as one body."

Jules Vasquez
"So the electoral strength of the PUP early on, my understanding always was that, it was based on the fact that the PUP basically controlled the unions."

Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Well put it this way, when the PUP was formed on September 29th 1950, there was a meeting in April 1950 when they took over Betson union. When they took over the union, there was no PUP there was a people's committee. So they had no strength, there was nobody, just a name and that's way they needed the union. When they took over the union in April of 1950, they took over that was 6,000 strong, Gallon Jug, Public Works, the water front, even Woods Bakery was part of the union. One of the best buns used to come from Woods Bakery and good bread. This is how they were able to immediately have a strength behind them and this is how they were able to quickly win their first adult suffrage election in 1954. If Nick Pollard had formed a labor party in 1959, he would have defeated George Price."

Jules Vasquez
"So why didn't he?"

Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Because he was too bitter, he was too concentrated on fighting Price after the split in 1958. There was a bitter split in 1958."

Jules Vasquez
"A split between?"

Nick Pollard Jr. Author
"Nick Pollard and George Price which hasn't been written about that's in The Jaws of Politics next year."

The book is sells for thirty dollars and is available at Brodies. His next book, "the Jaws Of Politics" is set for publication next year.

He says this one is intended for students at secondary and tertiary levels and for trade union activists, so that they can learn the lessons of history. Visit www.nickpollard.org

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