MINISTER of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development Leroy Baptiste, in his Labour Day message, paid homage to the historic 1937 Labour Riots, recognising its foundational role in shaping Trinidad and Tobago’s trade union movement.

“Today is a most significant day for trade unions and those who have toiled in the trenches of labour over the years to protect and uphold the rights of workers, not just locally, but globally as well,” he said in a statement issued on June 18.

Baptiste described the riots as a defining moment in the nation’s journey, saying the uprising was not merely a protest but a demand for justice, respect, and dignity.