Father, give us the strength to work better for you.
I don't have much to say on trade unions. I've never been a member of a trade union, but this was basically because I wasn't interested rather than being told that trade unions didn't follow a christain ethos.
The only two times I've had any involvement with them with fairly short. The first time I had to attend a management interview to explain why I didn't want to join a trade union and the second time was when there was a planned strike action and I was advised by my manager to take leave on that day.
What have trade unions to do with christain life?
Trade Unions were set up to protect workers from the exploitation of their employers. This sounds like a great idea, but unfortunatley, people being people it just provided a platform to make some things even worse. It became the usual "one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist". I've lived in the North East most of my life and remember the miner's strikes of the 70's; seeing the damaged property and violence that resulted from it. To certain people it was a way to power, instead of the employer giving the orders, the union leaders found they could force/threaten/blackmail the owners into doing what they wanted instead.
These days employees have much more protection by the law. We have a welfare society where activities are risk assessed, employees get redundancy and pension, so is there any need for trade unions?
As I started out with, I've not had much to do with them. To me they are just a way of introducing politics into the workplace (and politics is my least favourite subject!)
The Bible gives advice and recommendations to both employer and employees. Paul's letter to the Ephesians in chapter 6 records advice to both.
The section ends with an important point "And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven". The illusion of power is something that should not interest us. The real power is God.
At the end of the day we are all servants. Paul's letter to the Colossians gives us a perfect summary;
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
At the end of the day, it's how we work for God that matters, for he is Lord and master of all.