Trade Unionism: A Radical Reimagining of Christianity in the Workplace
Short Read (5-6 minutes)
As HeartUnions week begins, Parliamentary Researcher Jenny is on a mission to spread the Good News of the trade union movement to anyone who will listen…
What does it mean to be a Christian in the workplace? Usually, talk of this is confined to how best to evangelise our colleagues, or how to be a peaceful presence in the chaos. What is notably absent from this discourse, even in Christian left-wing circles, is how we can make an impact at work through being active members of trade unions.
We’ve been involved in the trade union movement since it began in the 19th century. A man who is a hero to many of us – Keir Hardie – was a pioneer of workers’ rights, and was led to be so through his principles as a Christian socialist. However, as membership of unions is in decline, it seems we all need a reminder of the power they can hold.
Christians need trade unions, and trade unions need Christians. In Christians on the Left we believe in supporting each other to work in every level of politics, shaping policy from the inside to make compassionate decisions that bring justice to our country. The potential for Christians to have an impact on the trade union movement is huge – but untapped.
So how can we change that – and why should we?
The “how” is easy. There’s a trade union for everyone, and you can join yours today. You don’t have to be in work either; you can join if you’re a student, retired, or struggling to get work. By becoming a member, you can become a delegate for events, take on leadership roles, and join in policy making.
As for the “why”, three significant words come to mind: unity, dignity, and justice. To me these are the three bedrock principles of the trade union movement – but they are also key components of the message of Jesus.
Jesus calls his followers to value community. We were made to be in relationship with God, with creation, and with each other. We are not to be individualists, but to embrace unity and solidarity. So it is with trade unions: we share common aims and principles that bind us together – and we work towards the common good of the collective.
I would go further as to say that we are made to be family. Many of us believe in a much broader concept of “family” than just blood relatives: one which involves our church community, our neighbours, our friends. But what if we included our colleagues in this perception? What if we viewed all those we share a workplace with as just as much “family” as those we share a home or a church with? That, I believe, would be a radical reimagining of what it means to be a Christian in the workplace.
This is what trade unions can be - a family at work. One that will be a source of comfort and strength, and won’t hesitate to fight your corner when you need it.
Whilst I believe so many passages in scripture point towards us being called into this movement, 1 Corinthians 12 feels especially relevant:
“As it is, there are many members, yet one body... On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect… If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:20, 22-23, 25.)
I’m a rep for a trade union in Parliament. In our GMB branch, we believe that an issue for one staff member is an issue for everyone. An unfair dismissal of one of us is felt by all of us.
Whilst we work on pay issues, health and safety measures and contractual disputes, the thing we deal with most is bullying and harassment. I’ve been consistently inspired by those who come out of that experience desperate to make changes in the culture so that no one else gets treated the way they did. That’s how I know we’re a community: we don’t just fixate on how comfortable or troublesome our own circumstances are, we act and think as a body.
This is a form of fellowship. I believe all Christians are called to enter into this form of fellowship, a cooperative, with their colleagues. Together we share our struggles, but we also share our successes.
We know we’re all made in the image of God – whether we’re a corporate executive or a supermarket shelf-stacker. When we acknowledge that equality in one another, we must also acknowledge we all deserve to be treated with equal dignity at work. Dignity means being paid a fair wage for a fair day’s work, working in safe conditions, and being treated in a way that honours our value as humans.
The final thing key to my understanding of the link between Christianity and trade unionism is justice. In the Bible there are multiple threads on the theme of justice running through, from the Prophet Isaiah writing that our Saviour would “proclaim freedom for the captives”, to Jesus showing us how to show practical love to those who need it most.
Being involved in a trade union is a practical way to pursue social justice in the workplace. Every act of lifting people from oppression, whether it’s sorting their flexible working or gaining pay equality, recognises the equal worth of that person and gives them the just outcome they deserve. It means turning tables over in the temple and calling out more than the odd pharisee – but most importantly, it means loving our (office) neighbours.
Through the trade movement, at its best, we can see a kingdom growing in the workplace: one which champions unity over hierarchy; dignity over discrimination; and, fundamentally, justice ruling above exploitation. Bless your colleagues: join a trade union today.
