STORY: In 2001, there were 379 work strikes in Canada, involving over 220,000 people, losing 2.2 million workdays. In comparison, Mexico had 35 work strikes in 2001, involving 23,000 people, losing 400,000 workdays. The population of Mexico is 102 million, more than 3 times of Canada’s 31 million and the number of workdays lost was only one-fifth of Canada’s.
Data are not available for all work strikes in the US. There were 29 major work strikes (of over 1000 workers) in the US in 2001, involving 99,000 people, losing 1.2 million workdays. Major work strikes decreased to 16 in 2002, involving 46,000 people, losing 660,000 workdays.
Background:
Recent economic recession occurs in cycles of 8 to 11 years, in 1973, 1981, 1991, and 2002. In 2003, the unemployment rate in Canada was 7.7%, with a total of 1.2 million unemployed people.
· God gave some of His own dominion over the earth to man (Gen 1:28). We are privileged stewards of God, commissioned to guard and develop the environment on His behalf. Work was part of life before the Fall (Gen 2:15).
· The curse is not work but the deterioration of the environment (Gen 3:17-18).
o Our potential for creative work is an essential part of our God-likeness.
o If we are idle (instead of active) or destructive (instead of creative), we are denying a basic aspect of our humanity, contradicting God’s purpose for man.
o Work brings benefits to the community (Eph 4:28) and contributes to the fulfilment of human dignity.
o For example: A successful business serves the public, provides jobs and prospects for workers, pays taxes to the government, thus equivalent to sharing with those in need.
o God should be glorified through our work (1Co 10:31; Col 3:23) because it contributes in God’s purpose for mankind. We are accountable to God.
o God has deliberately arranged life in such a way as to need the cooperation of human beings for the fulfilment of His purpose. He did not create the planet earth to be productive on its own; human beings had to subdue and develop it.
o Diligence at work can serve as a witness to the world.
o For example, strikes to improve general safety and working conditions are of much more value than those for individual interests, such as increase in pay or benefits.
o People providing essential services should avoid striking.
o Christians should not support employee unions which promote confrontation with the employer.
· If the strike is just, Christians may participate.
· If the strike is unjust, Christians need to risk bearing consequences and oppose the strike and report to work. But this can be difficulty today because of the labour unions. Crossing the picket line may adversely affect relations with others at work. This should be one of the considerations in a decision.
· Christians do not view management and labour as necessarily hostile to each other. They need not bring distrust and hostility to their place of work or the negotiating table. Christian managers do not exploit people or see them merely as economic units. They discourage rigid confrontation and favour a problem-solving approach to disagreements.
· Yoke refers to a fixed relationship that cannot be easily broken, such as marriage or a long-term business relationship.
· Borrowing should never be a way of life. Borrower and guarantor are both discouraged (Pr 22:7,26-27).
· Loans should only be sought for necessities or urgencies.
· Business loans and mortgages are necessities but over indebtedness must be avoided (Ne 5:1-5).
· Interest is justified because:
· But excessive rates of interest are not justified.
· OT allows charging foreigners interest but prohibits charging interest on loans between Israelites (Ex 22:25; Dt 23:19-20; Ne 5:10). Between Christians, interest on loans for production and commerce is justified. Interest should not be charged if the loan is for necessary or urgent basic needs.
· In all cases, we have to deal charitably with others, especially with financially distressed people. Almsgiving (helping the poor) is virtuous (Isa 58:6-7), and will reap divine favour (Eze 18:7-9).