The title of this entry got your attention didn't it??
I am one who has gone on record as being opposed to the push to Unionize United Church Clergy - if you go digging in the back pages of United Online (www.united-online.ca) you will find some of my musings opposing the push to unionize us ... But lately I've begun to wonder if Unionizing isn't such a bad idea afterall ...
Yesterday I raised a question with the new Pastoral Relations Convenor about how we set our housing allowance in our Presbytery. It was viewed as a defiant challenge ...
Lately I've been reading with some interest a running debate on United Online about trusting the processes we have within the bureacracy that is the United Church of Canada. Over and over we hear horror stories of processes jumping off the rails, and over and over I've watched as colleagues have cried out for help only to be shut down, ignored or shuffled off into oblivion ...
The irony for me is the urgent need we have for ministry personnell, and the seeming disconnect wherein we treat those of us in ministry more poorly year by year. Our wages are NOT keeping up with the inflation rate. Our benefits packages are not a benefit. And the demands on our time, and on that of our family continue to spiral out of control ...
How can I in good conscience say to a young person (or a middle age person) feeling called to ministry to go and enter the discernment process ??
Don't get me wrong. I love the United Church of Canada. I have enjoyed serving it as a clergy person. I have loved the work I have been called to do. But I have grown weary of the abuse, the neglect and the lack of appreciation goes with the job.
It's one thing to have someone scream at you in rage because they don't like what you represent - it's quite another to get taken out by "friendly" fire because you won't play the game by the "rules" someone else sets ...
I won't repeat the things I've said over at United-Online in the forum section - but I would invite you, if you want to read more on this, to turn there. I started a thread today entitled "Trust and Unions ... musings on our dysfunction...", and posted another piece at my Prairie Preacher Blog page there too. Check it out here: (http://www.united-online.ca/index.php?ind=blog&op=home&idu=14) ...
I've said it before and I'll say it here - today from where I sit, the one thing the United Church has gotten really, really good at is simply this:
shooting the wounded !
I know it's not all hopeless - yet - I still have hope that just when WE give up, the Spirit will come ... so my prayer today remains: "Come Holy Spirit Come !!"
In the mean time I think I might rethink my opposition to a union ...
dayenu,
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1 comment:
I have a union in my workplace which is a necessity. I rremember well working without one.
My husband works for even a larger organization and does not have one but the organization addresses all the needs that a union would and has very satisfied employees without one.
It is as simple as how willing the organization is to look afer it's employees and to address their concerns with fairness.
It is education in these human resource people to a very broad extent in people relations.
His governance comes from a very large and divergent group of people. Mine is attached to politics and government and is not a private sector.
I think the big difference is the word "private". A company has to take much more responsibility for it's members if their efforts and results lie completely on their name.
The sooner the UCC realizes this, the better the working conditions will be and happier the employees will be.
it does not have to be a union. accountability is the key.
The vocalization of it's members can do wonders without a union if they are willing to force the issue with those who are supposed to be "in charge".
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