Richard Hollerman

Is it really God’s will that we seek employment at all costs? Is it His will that we be willing to join a labor union to either obtain a job or retain a job? What is God will in this matter?

This is a relevant question, especially for some of our readers. Some would seek to join regardless of whether or not it is God’s will. And others would assume that it is God’s will and just join for “it is the thing to do.” And others seek advice from others, some of whom may be against union membership, while others may be very inclined to this membership. What should we really think?

Many years ago I worked in a textile mill and my fellow-employees sought to know whether this was to their advantage. As a Christian (or so I thought I was), I refused to join. How could I when I knew that it was against the Lord and His will? Because of this, I was given 30 days to join—or be fired. I, of course, chose the latter option and for this reason I was out! Sadly, others (I think that all others) chose to join the union and everything went along smoothly—for them. The company remained in business and I was out of a job. As I remember the issue, the mill did not support me or even come to my rescue in any way.

This was in Pennsylvania and I don’t know about the matter now.

After this, I worked in a hospital that was a community endeavor and they had no interest in labor unions, thus I did not encounter a problem at all. Then I worked in another hospital in another state and there was no problem. Since then, in Texas and elsewhere, I encountered no problem either, but I do wonder what other states may require. (I will comment on this, according to what I read about the requirements.)

Somewhere, during the past years, I did call the local labor union office and spoke to the official there. He said that they would notify the organization but I would have no problem in joining or not joining the union regardless of where I might be working. I emphasized that I had conviction about such matters and he understood.

This is Texas and we do have somewhat open requirements here. I really do wonder what it would be like elsewhere. For example, I know of a painter in Pennsylvania, an auto-worker in South Carolina, a community person in Washington, a farmer in Wisconsin, a builder in Oklahoma, a trucker in North Carolina, a motel-worker in Delaware, and others scattered around in various localities. I wonder whether any of them have trouble in any measure in their jobs.

The Christian refuses to require his employer to submit to regulations of the government and state-wide requirements. If course, we refer to such organizations as Teamsters, IBEW, Opeiu, Laborer’s Unternational Union, Communications Worker’s-America, American Postal Worker’s Union, Central Labor Council, UAW, IUOE Local, Carpenters Local Union, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local, Iron Worker’s Union, Transport Workers Union, Transport Workers Union, Sheet Metal Worker’s Union Local, Southwest Laborer’s Training, International Brotherhood of Electrical… International Union of Operating Engineers, Texas State Employees Union, United Food and Commercial Workers, Millwright Local Union, AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers, etc.

This would only be a partial listing of such organizations and unions. But this does show the breadth of this outreach. Indeed, even if the majority of workers, especially in Texas, do not belong to a Union of some kind, we know that this is a common choice.

In Luke 12:14 Jesus refuses to “judge” between people and become arbitrator in a way that would pull people way from the truth and from a kind attitude toward others. Then in verse 15, Jesus says that He would have His followers avoid “every form of greed” for this attitude will invariably and inevitably seek possessions for self and not others.

When Jesus speaks of personal property and our attitude toward wealth, we know that He speaks aright. We realize that many do not agree with this assessment (one may seek to see the listing of those who support and want these ungodly unions) but we know that Jesus would want us to have an entirely different view of riches than the world.

We think of Luke 12:31: “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” Would we want to tread others and would we want others to treat us I a way that would harm, damage, or destroy others? Then there would be Matthew 7:12 (which says about the same as above) and we must ask, Would we really want another to treat us in a way that would take away our liberty and take away true kindness and patience and generosity?

We know that there must be a dozen religious communities that would object to union membership (out of conviction) and many would also refuse membership for personal convictions and for Biblical reasons. But we would then arrive at numerous other roadblocks.

It is better to live a “nonresistant” life without the alliance of labor unions and all of the worldly relationships that this would entail. We know that there are millions of those who profess Christianity and still choose to be part of such a wicked organization as a labor union and some others who have been part of such an organization in the past but have retired, but for those who have the option now, we urge you to live free from these worldly entanglements now and in the future. There is no other way that is right.