20121201: Matt 20 :Strike! Parable of the labourers

To strike or not to strike - that is the question?

MOM and MHA have issued a joint press statement today (1 Dec).

It said that Police have completed their investigations into the illegal strike on 26 and 27 Nov 2012 involving SMRT PRC bus drivers. The strike was found to be planned and premeditated. It disrupted Singapore’s public transport service which is an essential service, and “posed a threat to public order”.

The Public Prosecutor has decided to charge a total of 5 PRC bus drivers who instigated or participated in the illegal strike. Four have already been charged in Court.

In addition to the 4, one more will be charged on Mon (3 Dec) under section 9(1) of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (Chapter 67). If convicted, the 5 will face a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both on each charge.

In addition, 29 SMRT bus drivers have been sternly warned by the Police for participating in the strike. The Controller of Work Passes has revoked their work permits, and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority will be repatriating them.
Matthew 20

King James Version (KJV)

20 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

² And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

³ And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

⁴ And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

⁷ They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

⁸ So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

⁹ And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

¹⁰ But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

¹¹ And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

¹² Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

¹³ But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

¹⁴ Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Reflection
When this strike took place recently in S'pore - it was kind of unprecedented in this little red dot where law and order is highly up held.

The Chinese drivers did a strike to lament on their counter part Malaysians with regard to their penny earnings. It is a challenge for employees vs employers 

It reminded me of the above parable .
It is about the issue of Justice & Fairness. About the grace of our Lord YHWH. Watch this video below and have a good laf. Goto 12:48 if not time : the part that shows "Capuchins rejects unequal pay"! (monkeys)

At the end of the day, we must remember - life can be unjust but the Lord is just. He is the potter and we are just the clay. One can be born in China or S'pore or Malaysia. For some, the vocation is merely a bus driver or a so called "service leader" whereas there are others who are born to be a "service leader" in the nation serving as a PM.  One earns S$12,000 p.a whereas the other S$1,200,000 pa...the 2 zeros are missing? Pay peanuts get monkeys? How do we reconcile the fact that a bus driver in China earns $500,  another driver working in Malaysia earns S$800 whereas a Singaporean bus drive here earns S$1500? All drivers but merely in different parts of the earth?

We may not seem to understand this inequality here on earth. Save your red eye of jealousy! Because, God is still fair and just.  For He said" So the last shall be the first and the first last; for many be called , but few chosen" Rich or poor , He is the maker of them all. Who are we - the clay to question the potter ? How can we murmur? His grace is sufficient for us all.  He has the last call.

Healthy? Able to work? Not retrenched? Retired? Whatever...Give thanks! Godliness with contentment is great gain....ummm