Strike posed quandary for Jehovah's Witness

by VanillaMocha73 7 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  VanillaMocha73

  http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/233590.html
  
  SHLACHTER, PEROTION, FUQUAY & CO.
  Strike posed quandary for Jehovah's Witness
  By Barry Shlachter, Jim Fuquay, Maria M. Perotin
  Star-Telegram Staff Writers
  
  

  Can a Jehovah's Witness participate in a union strike and still remain true to her faith?

  That's what a Benbrook train dispatcher wondered when her union leaders ordered her to walk off the job in 2005 at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co.

  The ensuing dispute now has landed Jenny Moore and the union, the American Train Dispatchers Association, in court.

  Here's Moore's version of events, according to the religious-discrimination lawsuit she filed against the union this week:

  Moore, a practicing Jehovah's Witness, was on duty as a dispatcher when the union called for an immediate walkout by members in March 2005. She was unsure whether she could leave, because Jehovah's Witnesses aren't supposed to participate in any political action, including picketing.

  Moore asked a union official for time to call a church elder for advice. He refused. She stayed on the job about two hours, and eventually reached a church leader. After the elder gave her the go-ahead, Moore left work. Union officials subsequently brought charges against Moore for disobeying orders and fined her $2,171. Moore believes that amounts to religious discrimination, and she wants the union to pay up.

  Union President G.L. Melton said Wednesday that he hadn't seen Moore's suit. "I don't know what it's about or what she's alleging," Melton said. "I thought it was a settled deal."
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  VanillaMocha73

  Um, so it's an elder-based conscience? Classic example of how JWs cannot think for themselves. Or cannot rely on a personal relationship with God to be able to direct their lives. Legalism..... I mean, God is going to strike her down dead because she walked out on a union strike? Or would it be fear of shunning?
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  dobbie

  My hubby works on the railway and he was told he couldn't get involved in a strike but there was no way he was going to work either (my dad didn't join the strike at his factory once and he was ignored for ages afterwards), but luckily he always seemed to get the day off that the strikes were going to start on. (Bet the jws would say that was Gods work lol)
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  choosing life

  That just has to look bad to people reading it. An adult cannot decide what to do in her daily life without calling a "clergy" member and asking for a decision. It really shows the cultish side of the religion.

  I know of a man who recently asked the elders if he could walk the picket line when they went on strike where he worked. No scriptures involved, just no. The hard part was the union was going to provide continuance of health insurance and an income while on strike, but only if you walked the picket line.

  There were 2 witnesses that worked there and they explained the situation to the union. The union was nice enough to give them other work to do so they could have the benefits. They were much more concerned with their welfare than any jw or elder.
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  dobbie

  BB it must depend on your congragation, hubby was definately told he was not allowed to go on strike with the other workers.
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  Gordy

  If I remember rightly we had similar case in Britain many years ago, also involving a railway union.

  It involved three men who refused to go on strike over want they considered a political issue, not one about work or pay.

  One of the men was a JW.

  The union was going to throw them out of the union over it.

  The three if I recall said it was their right to decide whether to strike over a political issue, that was in conflict with their views or beliefs.

  They went to the European Court over it ... they won.
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  Witness 007

  look i agree that she is silly but a 2,000 dollar fine for having J.W beliefs is very wrong...they will get their asses sued off.
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  Gander

  I can understand the need and usefulness of unions to promote the rights of workers. However, this story to me shows that unions have become too powerful when they are victimizing the workers that unions are supposed to protect and represent. I am glad I have never had to work somewhere that required me to be a member of union as I can not imagine taking instructions from a union. Enough control tactics from every organized group imaginable already!