Defending Due Process Rights

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Stand with a man while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.” Abraham Lincoln

I believe Lincoln’s statement is in full accord with Bible truth.

This morning I found an opportunity to post the following comment on an AFL-CIO Blog comment area:

All serious union members and supporters need to focus on educating friends and acquaintances with the purpose of unions and collective bargaining in the first place–to secure the rights of workers. What rights? DUE PROCESS rights and the inviolability of contracts. As a Union Representative over many years I experienced first hand the failure on the part of “management” and “administration” to fulfill or observe the due process requirements of the Collective Bargaining Contract. Inform friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and your political representatives of the necessity to preserve the hard-won due process rights of every worker in every field. This is what justice is all about.

Certain very popular talk-show hosts constantly misrepresent unions. They frequently repeat the all-out lie that union dues support the political agenda of the union. They seem not to understand that political support for candidates does not come from union dues, but separate voluntary contributions of union members who want to support candidates favorable to their cause.

It is time to stand against these lies, and declare the truth.

I commented elsewhere this morning that there are two Bible passages that pertain to these issues directly:

Luke 10:7

Luke 10:7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Compare 1 Timothy 5:18,

1Ti 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

Psalm 15:4

Psa 15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

The pertinent clause is rather obscure in the King James Version. In the CEV version it reads:

And they keep their promises, no matter what the cost.

God is very strict in His requirements that legal agreements be kept to the letter. Failure to observe an agreement with a heathen or pagan king was the direct and immediate cause for the destruction of Solomon’s Temple and the removal of the nation of Israel from its land resulting in the Babylonian Captivity for 70 years. There are other examples in the Bible, starting as early as Joshua, who kept an agreement even when he learned that he had been deceived by those who sought and obtained the agreement.

I believe Psalm 15:1 makes it quite clear that the consequences of not obeying God’s standard of adhering to contracts as written are most serious for the individuals involved in violating or reneging on an established contract or agreement. This includes all States, politicians, political parties, and voters who support the arbitrary termination of duly agreed upon Collective Bargaining Contracts.

Psa 15:1 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

The rest of this short psalm provides the answer to the question raised in the first verse.

Collective Bargaining agreements are written for a specific length of time, often one year, two years, or three years. The proper stance of elective officials, management, and administration would be to live up to the contracts agreed to. When the Contract period is up, and the Contract is up for re-negotiation, THEN is the time to secure any fair and needful adjustments to the provisions of the Collective Bargaining agreement. Unions also must learn to live with reality in difficult times and not make demands which cannot be justified morally or by economic good sense.