S3:44 Takeaway 3: Treat Labor Well

S3:44 Takeaway 3: Treat Labor Well

by | Apr 13, 2021 | Episodes

What Christians can learn from unions in General Motors from the 1980s.

A few months ago I produced two episodes about the Christian roots of American labor unions. And… a bunch of people stopped listening to the show. It turns out that many American Christians are conservative and, therefore, anti-union.

This mini-episode is the counterbalance to that series. Here we discuss the inefficient practices at General Motors in the 1980s. It was an era where GM slipped from holding over 40% of the market share to 17%. What happened? It’s a story of unions, gasoline, and the reasons we treat labor well.

Resources used:

Discussion Questions:

  • Do you have a bias for or against labor unions?
  • Who do you know who is or was in a union? What is their work ethic?
  • The labor unions in GM in the 1980s were inefficient. Does that make all labor unions inefficient?
  • Does specialization in factories help or hurt in the long run?
  • Do you have a bias for employers or employees?
  • Do you work as unto Christ in your own job?
  • What is the Christian way to work? To employ someone?
S3:E26 Is the Church With Workers?

S3:E26 Is the Church With Workers?

by | Aug 18, 2020 | Episodes

Does the church represent working-class people or are we too focused on the wealthy? During the Industrial Revolution, many saw churches as clubs for rich people. So working folks formed their own churches, unions, and organizations.

In this episode Heath Carter, professor at Princeton and author of “Union Made” and “The Pew and the Picket Line”, talks labor.

Helpful Links:

Topics Covered:

  • Are labor unions Christian?
  • What is Christian socialism?
  • Were the apostles socialists?
  • Does the book of Acts demonstrate socialism?
  • What does James 5 say about the wealthy?
  • What does the Bible say about work?
  • What does the Bible say about asking for a raise?