Who is popular today?

LENNOX FRANCIS

TO WHOM much is given, much is expected. Trade unions are blessed with both financial and human resources but they downplay their wealth with hunger marches. The digital age is reducing labour-intensive production so the army of workers once available for union membership is dwindling.
As the business class refuses to compromise its profits and workers keep marching for bread, unions are only able to negotiate for crumbs and sometimes they get only stone.
Unions have the caring principle right and the potential to elevate, if not to eliminate, the working class. Unions must rock the boat and become the producer of goods and the provider of services. Relevance must be the target as they transform the working class to join the ranks of business owners. Or are they going to continue to be the old wines in old skin?
Presently, unions have the image of agents of poverty for the working class, only accepting alms from investors. Time to shock the world out of this second-class syndrome and show how workers can become a lethal force without disrupting economies but contributing instead.
Don’t they know how to read and interpret income statements and balance sheets and make business decisions? Don’t they know when businesses are prospering? Can’t they anticipate the uncaring meagre offers by governments?
The very society of which they are a part always think employees are undeserving because of the disruption they cause. Unions, you are the sleeping giant and you should play the role. Your control over productivity, both quality and quantity, is unmatched by any other.
Be wary that the leaders might be the beneficiaries of your hard-earned increases and your annual dues. When these amounts swell the coffers of the union the major reduction is for the salaries and pension of the administration. And the membership?
In addition, when the service life of labour expires, unions can continue their reward system of assisting the retired membership with pension. This is a practical alleviation of poverty and not just lip service.
Union leaders, please take your organisation to the head of the class and be not distracted by political opportunists about sharing power or getting just a bigger bite of the cherry. You have been existing on half a loaf for too long.
When all else fails, we usually take our troubles through our link to the Lord in prayer. At the height of covid19 did our religious leaders get lost in the melee? Did they go into hiding or were they themselves fighting and contracting the virus? Did they submit to the bullying to vaccinate? Was the flock left unattended? Did they preach or denied that they were given a divine healing mechanism called the immune system to deal with the virus? Did they dress in sack cloth to ward off the plague?
Religious leaders in any jurisdiction have the highest level of influence on people. You can lead people to better or to worse. People will make any sacrifice to have a front seat in the after-life. In TT it appeared that your faith was shaken, you relinquished the rulership to a man-made phenomenon and left the flock to stray.
Covid19 must not be an excuse but one of life’s lessons. What was the choice of these leaders? Be not mistaken or cast doubt in the minds of the multitude or sit on the fence.
Not quite out of the woods as yet, the old people will say Trinidad and Tobago “not looking too Catholic” emerging from the trials and tribulations.
Trade unions and religious bodies can merge for the betterment of mankind. We need to live and share the burden of the cross, both the one per cent and the 99 per cent, by:
* Developing an abundant spirit, appreciating what is provided and not complaining about the artificial shortages.
* Cultivating pure and honest character to overcome routine obstacles.
* Freeing ourselves from worldly turmoil as it is not the divine standard.
* Practising the way of preserving health for nurturing, caring and energising our true being.
* Being moderate in eating and drinking and sharing the surplus.
* Operating differently from the masses for they feed on misleading trends.
* Keeping a cheerful mood and being content with circumstances for each has contributed to the situation and we know that we can overcome the challenges.
God has blessed, is blessing and will continue to bless this nation.
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