Santee fighting for workers’ rights

By HELEN TARAWA
THE name Santee Margis is synonymous with the trade union movement in PNG.
Santee, 60, is from Mussau Island in New Ireland. He has four brothers and two sisters. One of his sisters was a Port Moresby General Hospital nurse who has passed away. A brother is working in Port Moresby and two brothers and a sister live in Kavieng and on Mussau Island.
Wife Helen is from East Sepik. They have three daughters and two sons.
Santee developed an interest in trade unionism when he was a student, attending a Seventh-Day Adventist Primary School on Mussau Island.
“We planted peanuts which the school sold back to us. We were made to pay for the peanuts we had planted. So I told the boys to harvest all the peanuts and share them among us. I was told to leave the school.”
He then attended the Utu Secondary School and noticed students receiving corporal punishment without complaining.
“I gathered the students and we marched to the school chairman’s house and demanded that the teacher be removed.
“The chairman followed us to the school and spoke to the principal. The next day, the teacher left the school. That was the early days of what I later learnt was collective bargaining and argument.”
In 1976 when attending Unitech, there was a big protest against the vice chancellor.
“I instigated the New Ireland students to stand together with the student body to get rid of the vice-chancellor and we succeeded.
“Around the same time, there was a stop-work by port workers in Lae demanding better working conditions and pay. That was the first time I went to the wharf with a number of Unitech students and met Reginald McAlister (now the general secretary of the Maritime Transport Workers’ Union.”
Santee left Unitech and joined the Harbours Board (now PNG Ports Corporation).

“ I have had a meaningful life because I walked beside an awesome great and loving God.”

Santee was sent for training to Australia, Europe, England, Spain and Italy.
“I went to a number of overseas countries and undertook port operations and management training. I was exposed to the organisation of workers’ unions.
“The international training programmes were crucial as there were sessions held at the ports in Australia. I got acquainted with the maritime union and also attended training in construction, forestry, mining and energy unions.”
There were training programmes organised by the International Transport Federation and the maritime union in PNG.
In 2008, he was asked to help the PNG Energy Workers Association which did not have a general secretary and the membership had dwindled.
“We built the membership to 900. Today we have members from Puma Energy, Eda Ranu and Water PNG too.”
The ITF chapter in PNG includes the National Airline Employees Association, Maritime Union and PNGEWA.
“We are awaiting the Covid-19 to be over before our counterparts in Australia and Europe arrive to put in place the framework for the office bearers.”
His next goal is to see unions, the labour department and the government working on a Fair Work Commission styled among Australia’s.
He wants to see a vibrant trade union that is amalgamated to international unions.
He plans to do a lot more for workers in the country.
“I have had a meaningful life because I walked beside an awesome great and loving God.”