Ellen White On Economic Conditions and Labor Unions In End-Times

[John317]

There will be many great failures in earthly banks, and in speculations, including mining and real estate. -- 13 MR 236

Money will soon depreciate in value very suddenly when the reality of eternal scenes opens to the senses of man-- True Miss 1 January 1874

Unionism.... is controlled by the cruel power of Satan. Those who refuse to join the unions formed are made to feel this power. The principles governing the forming of these unions seem innocent, but men have to pledge themselves to serve the interest of these unions, or else they may have to pay the penalty of refusal with their lives.

Men are binding up in bundles ready to be burned. They may be church members, but while they belong to these unions, they cannot possibly keep the commandments of God; for to belong to these unions means to disregard the entire decalogue. -- 4 MR 75.

The trade unions will be one of the agencies that will bring upon this earth a time of trouble such as has not been since the world began.-- CL. 10

More will be added.

[Joe_in_RP]

Many people think the unions are dead. The UAW and the Steelworkers have lost many members. But large numbers belong to government unions.

AFGE

American Federation of Government Employees.

APWU

American Postal Workers Union.

NALC

National Association of Letter Carriers.

NTEU

National Treasury Employee Union.

And the granddaddy of them all

AFSCME

Union of state, county and municipal employees.

[Robert]

The trade unions will be one of the agencies that will bring upon this earth a time of trouble such as has not been since the world began.-- CL. 10

Now wait just a blooming minute! Unions are evil, huh? No, unions aren't the big problem. Are they perfect? No! However, unions are nothing more than a response to greedy, self-loving, exploitative management. I see it where I work. We call it "American management"!

I belong to a foreign industry not based here in the US. When I began in 1987 it was mostly run by foreign management, then in 1993 the company went public with the Stock Market and, at about the same time, American management began to takeover.

Since then we have seen a steady decrease in retirement, pensions, wages and other benefits. On top of this management keeps giving us more and more jobs on top of the jobs we already have. Then, to top it off, there's this subtle threat that if we ever unionize they'll just pack up and go to China or Mexico where they can really exploit the heck out of those folks!

So in my mind unions can be a good thing. Like regulation in regards to Wall Street, unions use to have the power to keep self-centered management in check. But since you can get cheap exploited labor throughout the world, unions have no practical power.

That being said, unions are being formed in China for the same reason they began in the US years ago. And why is that? Unions reduce the absolute power of management. While there are some good managers, most have their own self-interest in mind instead what's good for the company.

CEOs are a perfect example. In order to make their companies more profitable they'll take all sorts of risks, and then when it fails they take their millions/billions and move on to their next conquest.

Without unions, exploitation will continue. Without unions you'll be working 3 jobs and watch your benefits diminish. Without unions greedy, self-centered, self-loving managers will continue to hoard up all the wealth. And they'll do it in the name of profitability - when what they really mean is more money in their pockets.

I've seen it time and time again. Some new upstart manager, with his Ph.D. in business, comes in and outsourcers hardworking employees who have given their all for the past 30 years. He'll say it's good business practice and that he's watching out for the company. But the employees know a BS line when they hear it. What most managers are interested in is looking good in front their peers. What they lust after is moving up the corporate ladder on the backs of hardworking employees. They'll smile to your face, all the time they want to take your place, the back stabbers. Oh, that's the lyrics to a song. Me bad....

I personally like the Japanese model: 10% management! Instead, where I work, we've seen management steadily increase while the workers are either outsourced or reduced in numbers. Why? Self-importance, but the fact is management is a liability to a company. They make no contribution except to oversee the direction the company is going. Other than that they typically hoard the money when it is the working guy that makes the products.

Washington is a good example. They are top heavy. They are elitist. They aren't looking after those who put them in office. We vote the turkeys in and big, corrupt corporate America takes over. Most of the upscale housing around Washington is rented out to corporate lobbyist. So you don't have a voice. It's just a two party system after all (Nader is right). It's really not a democracy. That's American management in a nutshell. They are the real problem, not unions.

Rob

[John317]

I agree that trade unions have done many good things for their workers. I don't think Ellen White herself would deny that unions do good for union workers. She didn't say that unions look evil from the humanistic viewpoint. There are organizations and institutions that look very good, and which actually do much good, but which work in some essential ways in opposition to God.

Ellen White's perspective on trade unions comes from her visions rather than from historical and economic analysis. It's like the Bible's view of "Babylon" in the book of Revelation: it's not saying everyone in Babylon is an evil person or will be lost, nor is it saying that false religions never do any good by anyone. Many of the false religions also do great good when looked at from the viewpoint of humanity. As a matter of fact, Revelation depicts spiritual Babylon as extremely popular in the world. It has all the appearances of doing many good things; that's what makes it such an effective tool of God's enemy.

[Joe_in_RP]

We are now to use all our entrusted capabilities in giving the last warning message to the world. In this work we are to preserve our individuality. We are not to unite with secret societies or with trades unions.

Counsels on Health (1923), page 273, paragraph 3

The labor unions are quickly stirred to violence if their demands are not complied with. Plainer and plainer is it becoming that the inhabitants of the world are not in harmony with God. No scientific theory can explain the steady march of evil workers under the generalship of Satan. In every mob wicked angels are at work, rousing men to commit deeds of violence. . . .Last Day Events (1992), page 23, paragraph 3

Satan is busily at work in our crowded cities. His work is to be seen in the confusion, the strife and discord between labor and capital, and the hypocrisy that has come into the churches. . . . The lust of the flesh, the pride of the eyes, the display of selfishness, the misuse of power, the cruelty and the force used to cause men to unite with confederacies and unions--binding themselves up in bundles for the burning of the great fires of the last days--all these are the working of satanic agencies.--Ev 26 (1903).

Labor Unions

a Source of Trouble for Adventists

The work of the people of God is to prepare for the events of the future, which will soon come upon them with blinding force. In the world gigantic monopolies will be formed. Men will bind themselves together in unions that will wrap them in the folds of the enemy. A few men will combine to grasp all the means to be obtained in certain lines of business. Trades unions will be formed, and those who refuse to join these unions will be marked men.--Letter 26, 1903.

The trades unions and confederacies of the world are a snare. Keep out of them, and away from them, brethren. Have nothing to do with them. Because of these unions and confederacies, it will soon be very difficult for our institutions to carry on their work in the cities. My warning is: Keep out of the cities. Build no sanitariums in the cities. Educate our people to get out of the cities into the country, where they can obtain a small piece of land, and make a home for themselves and their children....

For years I have been given special light that we are not to center our work in the cities. The turmoil and confusion that fill these cities, the conditions brought about by the labor unions and the strikes, would prove a great hindrance to our work. Men are seeking to bring those engaged in the different trades under bondage to certain unions. This is not God's planning, but the planning of a power that we should in no wise acknowledge. God's Word is fulfilling; the wicked are binding themselves up in bundles ready to be burned.

[Joe_in_RP]

world gigantic monopolies

Could that be globalism?

I see more and more of her prophecies fulfilled.

When you join a union you are giving up your right to choose. The God given right.

I know people who are in unions now who think this is crazy talk. But She has been right so many times before. We have not seen to much violence in america related to unions. But many other countries have. Much is not covered.

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NILRR has found that victims of union henchmen rarely find justice in local, state, or federal criminal courts. According to media accounts NILRR has analyzed, 2,193 incidents of union violence occurred nationally between 1991 and 2001. Only 62 individuals were arrested and 10 people punished for these promised or actual attacks on people and property, yielding a reported conviction rate of just 0.45 percent. (Events the media missed would boost these figures.)

Please read entire article. It will open your eyes.

http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock060903.asp

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More violence

http://www.unionfacts.com/articles/crimeViolence.cfm