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The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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October 2005 |
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Church and society - workplace relationsIs the Church to be concerned for the the world? For our neighbour? For our community? For nature? Yes, we are. Jesus' life of teaching, relationships and miracles all speak of worship of God, of belonging, of community and of our interdependence. Here is a brief reflection seeking to apply some Christian principles to the Federal Government's proposed workplace relationships reforms. We live in community.Workplaces are places of community. But the thrust of the proposed reforms is on individualism. It places employees on individual workplace agreements and minimises the mutual community of shared experience, knowledge and support between employees and also with employers. This is damaging to relationships; to our community. Moreover, the place of unions has been central to our way of holding community both as between employees and as between employees and employers. Despite its imperfections, the role of unions is loosened to everyone's peril - especially the weaker, more vulnerable worker. What is wealth? Is it not in the wealth/richness of relationships?We are endowed with human dignity and yet struggle with the reality of human exploitation. The proposed Unfair Dismissal Laws are a major concern because they reduce the employee's capacity to seek justice; to be treated with dignity. There is a balance between workers' being unfairly dismissed and an employer's right to fairly dismiss workers. Why can employees working in a business with 98 workers be dismissed unfairly, whereas employees in a business with 101 workers must be dismissed fairly? Surely the principle is that all workers should have be treated fairly; just as all employers should be treated fairly. In this legislation the tendency towards exploitation, power and dominance (sin) seems to be viewed in workers but not in employers. Neither workers, nor employers, nor unions are immune from this human frailty. Let us have fairness for all. We are to care for all members of the community, especially the weaker members.We belong together, in community, our life is shared. Equity is as important as efficiency. Of course, it can be argued that the more efficient we are in producing goods and services, the more there are to be shared. And that, then, becomes the question: will increased wealth be shared? And, in what ways? The Washington based International Monetary Fund supports the Federal Government's workplace relations reforms. Their report, while noting concerns expressed (that the reforms could create an inequitable labour market), was reassured 'since strong social protections would remain in place for employees.' But, will strong social protections remain in place?Much more work needs to go into understanding the complex relationships between the workplace relations reforms and social protection, including welfare, education and heathcare. This work has not been done satisfactorily before these reforms are implemented. It should have been. How can strong social protections be assured, if they are not known? What are the implications of economic policy on relationships in our community and family life?Why does the Church care? Because God cares for the human dignity and wellbeing of all people. Shalom
Note from Bishop John: I attended briefings for a group of Anglicans organised by the Primate, Phillip Aspinall, on proposed workplace relations reforms, at Parliament House, Canberra on 18 August. Some senior Federal Government figures continue to struggle with the concept of Church and State. That politicians ask church leaders to be informed of the issues they comment upon is only fair and correct. But any desire to silence the church would mean that the church would be subservient to the state.
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