Christians and Labor Unions
December 14th, 2007
(By John MacArthur)
The following is adapted from a Q&A that John did several years ago at Grace Church.
Is it unbiblical to belong to a Labor Union?
Answer:
No, not necessarily. The Bible does not say anything specifically about labor unions or political economics. That decision is at the discretion of each individual Christian. It is not more sanctified to be in a non-union shop than a union shop. Those things are political and economic. They are wisdom decisions that must be made with prayer and in keeping with biblical principles.
Question (continued):
Should a Christian strike?
Answer (continued):
When you join a union, you pledge a certain amount of support to that union. That is basically what it is, the union seeks to improve your job situation on the basis that you will be loyal to their pursuit. Once you have joined a union, you have a responsibility to keep your word to that organization, until such a time as you feel they have violated what is morally right.
In each situation, the Christian must decide for himself or herself whether or not striking is a right thing to do. If it is right, if it is equitable, then you can submit to the structure of that union and strike. If on the other hand, it is inequitable, unjust or unfair, then I think you can go ahead and break the lines and go across and work if you wish. But that is for every Christian to decide. The Bible makes no specific comment in regard to that particular issue.
But you need to get your Bible and turn to the sixth chapter of Ephesians. You need to read that passage carefully, since it lays out God’s ideal for labor relations. It talks about the proper behavior of both masters and servants, which corresponds to employers and employees. And after you’ve studied Ephesians 6, go to Colossians 3 and make a comparison of the two passages. Then ask God to give you direction in applying biblical truth and godly wisdom to your particular situation.
i believe the first Christians we part of trade unions or associations? but they were uncompromising in pagan
festivals and cults like emperor worship. good topic
Thank you so much for this topic.
I have worked for a company who employs about 130,000 people world wide for the past 20 years. The plant that I work at was sold recently and became an independent company of about 15,000 people.
I have had pressure applied to me in varying degrees over the years to join the union that represents me. I have chosen not to do so.
I believe that the Scriptures are sufficient enough to have “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…”
Therefore I believe that God has indeed provided us with enough principles in His Word to make a decision as to whither we should join a labor union or not.
Try asking yourself these questions for starters:
1.) Should I join an organization who is dedicated to a method of appealing to authority which is condemned in Scripture? (Eph. 6 and Col. 3)
• I am referring to the practice of holding an economic gun to my employers’’ head and demanding my rights (striking).
2.) Should I join an organization that will encourage me to lay claim to my rights instead of giving all of my rights to Christ so I can trust Him to meet my needs? (Ps. 62:5)
3.) Should I join myself to an organization that aligns itself with wicked, ungodly causes? (1 Jn. 2:15,16)
4.) Dr. MacArthur is right, if you join a union you should strike when they vote to and participate as a good member should. With that in mind, is joining a union entangling oneself with the worldly system? (2 Tim. 2:4)
Let’s be like the soldiers who in Luke 3 came to be baptized by John and wanted to answer the call to repentance. They asked him “what shall we do? John told them to be content with their wages!
Jeff, be careful! JMac did not say that you had to strike. He said that if the situation is not equitable, then you can strike. I think that you have the liberty to do so but I believe that 1 Peter 3:17, and its call to submissive employees lends itself to that member quiting the union or crossing the line!
That is the problem with liberty and watching people make mistakes. Many do not see the issue of labor from a biblical perspecitve. They see their dollars and that is it. Boy I wish that the bible and God was a little more legalistic, but God does allow for man to evaluate each situation like this for himself.
For me, as a union member, NEA, CTA, really an association, but ruly behaving like a full on union, would never strike as I am of the belief that 1 Peter does not give me the freedom to strike as the company would never give that freedom. So even in the midst of real issues, unless morality and God himself, I would ALWAYS cross the line and teach. Thank the Lord that in California teachers cannot strike and if they get the blue flu, like cops and water squitrs, then it comes off their prsonal leave time. I am alwasy to make my boss and employer look good. Striking and walking with a sign makes the employer and the company look bad. I do not think that I have the freedom to do that under the message of scripture. We are to find a clear conscience before God as we bear up to and under an unreasonable master or employer. My job is to alwasy make God look good by making my employer look good, unless it is moral or biblical!
Take tha last grocery strike. The employees were fools, made themselves look bad and even brought shame to God by striking as they were given, what they obviously believed was a favorable offer, as they ultimatley settled for it, three months, and a strike late for. I was amazed to see pastor friends roasted for following up with church discipline on memebrs who went out on strike, however, I was equally amazed at the lilly livered, pastors and churches that sat back and did nothing. Not even a confrontaition. My daughter were openly harrassed by a man who was a elder in a church I pastored a few years ago for shopping at a given store. They were shocked and amazed but made me proud by confronting his sin with him yet he saw nothing wrong with his actions.
Where do we stand on this? John just laid out the context for a discussion. We do have liberty to make wrong decisions, however, we do not have the freedom to make wrogn decisions and still be right before God. The man must make the call on unequitable and in the grocery situation there was no issues. The employees were WRONG!
How does a man make a decision to walk a line, do harm, to his company and boss while spending his productive work time earning nothing. That is the work of one who does not take care of his own family, is it not?
O.K. here we go..limb is going out and I may be grabbing the saw in the same breath, but I do not think that John necesarily may be totally right on this one. This is a big issue and people are not looking at the Peter passage to gain insight as to what to do! I am not sure, becasue of loss of wages and the reputation of God, in the employer, that it is ever right in God’s eyes. Load it up and fire back.
John Prentice
Jeff,
I see what you’re saying about “holding an economic gun to my employers’ head” and I agree that if it were simple extortion it would be unbiblical. And labor unions in the last century had an unfortunate history of doing just that, especially those with ties to organized crime. But I fear that your comment caricaturizes labor unions and oversimplifies the entire issue. The fact is that labor unions in this country initially coalesced around even more egregious and unbiblical abuses on the part of employers. And given the fact that most workers are highly hesitant to strike at any time due to the economic uncertainty, unions are unlikely to use this measure except as a last resort, if they want to keep their credibility with the workers. Again, there have been abuses, and one would need to consider if it were indeed biblical to belong to a union that did abuse the strike.
While it is biblical to submit to masters, even this can become evil on our part if we allow the need to submit to overpower the greater good. If, by submitting to harsh masters, we allow the widow and the orphan to be oppressed, then we are as guilty as the oppressor himself.
I mean, by the same argument you made, the American Revolution could be condemned as unbiblical. Wasn’t it just mass treason and rebellion against the God-ordained King of Great Britain? Well a cursory review of history and of the Declaration of Independence makes it plain that a greater good was being sought, and that not lightly did the Colonists sever the ties between themselves and their sovereign. It was a war to protect the very lives of the innocent, and not merely for political grudges or personal convenience.
Likewise, one must consider whether the union they are joining pursues a greater good, or is merely an insubordinate group of arm-twisters. I don’t think you can make a blanket-judgment about the entire issue. We look to the Bible to guide our decisions at each turn, not simply to help us formulate positions which we then stick to as though they carried equal authority with it.
Matt F.
Matt F.
Excellent response! Good food for thought. Being a U.S. History teacher I loved the American Revolution as a contrast. 5 out of 5 big stars!
John P.
Re: legality of the American war for independence: the original charters with the British Crown delineated certain rights, freedoms, and obligations on both sides. A covenant, if you will. Later (under a different king) Parliament began to impose burdens contrary to those charters (taxation, conscription, religious constraints, abusive quartering and seizures, etc) and the new king refused to restrain Parliament. The colonists began to press for their rights under charter, the king denied them, thus the military action to enforce what was already ceded to the colonies by charter..the very premises under which they agreed to populate the New World. And, in fine, in their greedy press for more, the British Crown took naught. Had the charters been honoured on their faces, I doubt little but that we would yet be colonies under fair and just British rule.
I agree great responses!
Let me clarify myself a little. (Hopefully)
I believe that it is possible for a union to operate according to Biblical principles and if I had the opportunity to join such a union I would.
I do not believe that such a union would ask its members to go on strike in order to force the company to be fair. If the company is hurting people (sweat shops) or even discriminating against people etc… we can force them (as is already the case all across the country) through the local, state, and national laws.
John P.
I’m sorry; I did not intend to convey that John M. said we must strike. He clearly stated at the beginning of his answer “They are wisdom decisions that must be made with prayer and in keeping with Biblical principles.”
Matt F.
“The fact is that labor unions in this country initially coalesced around even more egregious and unbiblical abuses on the part of employers.”
The laws of the land have been changed to address most of those abuses and more are being made as I type. No one forces us to work for such a horrible company, so striking is unnecessary for the egregious abuses. What I was referring to was striking for economic outcomes, something we are instructed to trust God to bring about.
I look at the attitudes of those on the picket line (I’ve crossed three times in 20 years) and to a man they are as anti-Christian as one could get. My testimony for Christ as the one who meets all my needs would be ruined if I joined the union.
I also have a responsibility to be a good steward of God’s money and cannot do so while funding the union through union dues.
I hope that you guys understand that I would fellowship with you in Christ even if we disagree on this issue as I already do in my community. Let’s press on to the Spiritual goal. (Phil. 3:14)
Dr. M
Thank you for your commitment to the sufficiency of the bible.
David
Is it Unbiblical to participate in a labor union?
I personally don’t think so. In fact we must recognize that {God allowed} the formation and passing into law The Railway Labor Act was a fully legal process, which clearly governs union issues. I believe that He allowed it for a particular purpose. It‘s purpose was to protect the rights of labor in the face of abusive and corrupt manipulations of industrial giants during the 1930’s. Unions are LEGAL and again are governed by the Railway Labor Act. Do we obey some laws of our government and not others? Laws are to be obeyed and the same applies to unionization for both employees and employers.
Unions are formed by individuals desiring to be represented by an organization that will represent their interests as a collective bargaining agent on behalf of the employees, the point of it all is justice, and God loves justice. By law, companies are to recognize the majority decision of unionized workers to employee this legal method of representation. In protection of both employers and labor there are provisions in this same act that govern the methods of entering in contractual relationships, binding arbitration, cooling off periods and self help! (Strike). There is a legal and rightful way to assemble and to voice concerns to employers who are employing union labor. By God’s grace we live in a rule of law society in a market driven economy, the laborer has been given a voice regarding his working conditions, unlike those who live in dictatorial, non-market driven economies. If you believe that the nations are to be ruled by law (as the scriptures teach) rather than tyrants we must affirm that rule of law must apply to employers as it does to its employees.
Being involved in a union for the past 18 or so years I have to be clear that it has been helpful to both employees and to the company when dealing with day to day operational issues and long term planning. I refer in particular to the Airline industry which I am involved. Not all industries require unionization and from a governmental perspective unionization is allowed as a safety net to both employees and Companies. Many employers are very responsible in taking care of their employees and some corporate structures make unionization unnecessary. However, in establishing this fact it must be realized that both unions and corporations are governed by fallen men. Corruption exists in the corporate world as well as in the labor world of unionization. Many have equated self- help (striking) as taboo and plainly a defiant act against God and His inerrant Word. This in my humble opinion is just plain wrong. God has given us all a responsibility to protect the innocent and uphold our brothers and sisters and their interests also. We are not merely to think of ourselves when approaching the issue of self- help. We are to think of others. Many Christians use the scriptures to cower behind in the face of striking, thinking that they must remain true to their misinterpretation of the text, just to avoid conflict and possible temporary loss of wages while negotiations continue. Others have a clear conscience about their concerns, and they rightly so they cross the line, knowing fully that the union has abused the right in representing them in what is a fair and equitable contract according to industrial standards of their particular profession. Your conscience must be followed and remain biblically informed and not worldly informed without compromise!
Dr. MacArthur is absolutely right concerning the biblical approach regarding union participation!
First, consider whether or not to join an organization that is concerned for fair employee interests. Do not look for a perfect shop because it does not exist, just as working for an employer that is flawless does not exist.
Second, decide if the union is upholding a reasonable approach toward unified membership concerns in light of corporate fiduciary responsibility toward those whom they lead.
Lastly, remember that just as the company has the right after negotiations breakdown to lock out the employees from all work related activities, the union has a legal right to self-help also. Therefore, if asked to strike by your union representatives you have a responsibility to do so, unless it violates the conscience informed by scripture. Remember, “To him who knows what’s right and does not do it to him it is sin.”
Just as the covenant (contract) between England and the Colonists was violated and led to rightful protest, so also is self-help issues when dealing with an abusive corporate structure. However, we are not given free reign to use any means necessary illegal or otherwise to manipulate our employers. The Railway Labor Act is clear governing both sides in the proper manner in conducting contract negotiations. Just as the company has a right to lock out the employee group if contract negotiations fail, employees have the right to self-help if warranted. Bottom line we must approach these issues carefully and prayerfully and remember that our decision making process must be from a properly informed conscience in light of the pertinent texts that Dr. MacArthur has pointed us to on this issue.
In His service,
Lionel Largmann