Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler (21 January 1897 – 20 February 1977), was aGrenadian-bornSpiritual Baptist preacher and labour leader inTrinidad and Tobago. He is best known for leading a series of labour riots between 19 June and 6 July 1937 and for forming a series of personalist political parties (the British Empire Citizens' and Workers' Home Rule Party, the Butler Home Rule Party, and finally theButler Party) that focused its platform on the improvement of the working class.

Butler was born inSt. George's, Grenada, where he attended theAnglican School.^[1] Unable to find work after completing his primary school education, at 17 he became a volunteer in theBritish West Indies Regiment inWorld War I, serving in theBritish Army from 1914 to 1918, stationed inEgypt.^[1] Returning from military service at the end of the war in 1918, he became active in political pressure groups and workers unions, establishing the Grenada Representative Government Movement, and the Grenada Union of Returned Soldiers.^[2] In 1921, aged 24, he went to south Trinidad and was employed at the Roodal Oilfields as a pipe-fitter. He became influenced by the philosophy ofMarcus Garvey, according to Garvey's son Dr Julius Garvey.^[3]

Butler first came to prominence in 1935 when he led a "hunger march" from the oilfields toPort of Spain. In 1936 he was expelled from theTrinidad Labour Party for his "extremist tendencies". He then formed theBritish Empire Citizens' and Workers' Home Rule Party. On 19 June 1937 a strike in protest of working conditions, wages, racism and exploitation began in the oilfields in the southern Trinidad. Police attempted to arrest Butler as he addressed a meeting inFyzabad. His supporters prevented the police from doing so and Charlie King, a police officer was killed. TheLabour riots of 1937 resulted in turmoil throughout the oilfields. When strikes spread to thesugar factories, the Colonial government responded by issuing an arrest warrant for Butler. Butler went into hiding and the colonial authorities were unable to locate him. He stayed in contact with the authorities throughAdrian Cola Rienzi and although he was promised safe passage by the colonial authorities to testify at a commission of enquiry into the events of June 1937, he was arrested by the colonial government when he emerged to do so.

Butler was imprisoned from 9 September 1937 to May 1939. With the outbreak ofWorld War II in September 1939, he was re-arrested and detained for the duration of the war. After release from prison he formed theButler Home Rule Party, which later became the Butler Party. The Butler Party captured the largest block of seats in theLegislative Council, but the Governor chose to exclude Butler and insteadAlbert Gomes became the firstchief minister.

In the1956 General Elections the Butler Party only won two seats. Butler, the fiery radical, was deemed too unstable and threatening to the nation's economic well-being byEric Williams and thePeople's National Movement.

Butler is looked upon as the founding father of theOilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) and the labour movement and is honoured with a statue in Fyzabad. He was awarded theTrinity Cross, the nation's highest honour, in 1970.

• Malik, Yogendra K. 1971.East Indians in Trinidad.Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-218198-X
• Meighoo, Kirk. 2003.Politics in a Half Made Society: Trinidad and Tobago, 1925-2002. Markus Wiener Publishing Inc.ISBN 1-55876-306-6

TheUriah Butler Highway is named in his honour.