NationStates Jolt Archive


Why the Proposal on Unions is wrong for me!

22-11-2003, 09:47
In Zoltansk, we have the highest regard for our workers and for our citizens who provide employment. Under Zoltansk law, we encourage the application of the social teachings of the Church. Zoltansk government ministers and the Grand Duke himself are bound under the laws of man and the laws of God to promote the social welfare as seen in the promolgations of a number of Holy Fathers.

Namely, as to why Zoltansk does not need, nor will it support, any international 'syndicalist' plot within its borders. Zoltansk follows the teachings of Pope Leo in Rerum Novarum, the follow-up explanation of Pope Pius and the clear mandate of Pope Benedict as to the rights of labor and their obligations to society. http://www.newadvent.org/docs/le13rn.htm

We have 'worker associations' that speak on behalf of the working class and in conjunction with those who own the property or business, seek to find a common and peaceful remedy to any and all difficulties in the workforce. We have no need for international syndicalists seking to cause internal strife or division. Our nation is guided by the principles of Rerum Novarum (please see http://www.newadvent.org/docs/le13rn.htm for the full text of our labor basis of law).

Within the scope of labor unrest, we have instituted the following norms:
- all labor/management disagreements are to be settled within 7 days
- if the management and workers cannot solve their differences the local Bishop is to be summoned to arbitrate
- if the local Bishop is unable or incapable of solving the dispute, a representative of the Grand Duke and the Papal Legate shall arbitrate

Under Zoltansk law, labor difficulties are considered disputes within ones family, as all are under the care of the 'father' of the nation, the Grand Duke, and given the fact that the Holy Father is the 'father' of the entire nation. We in Zoltansk seek a balance of workers rights and property rights as envisioned in the Encyclical "Rerum Novarum". We have existing laws determining the relationship of worker and employer and feel that our laws work well with the individual and business concerns.
In conclusion, our laws based on the old Medeival "workers guilds" allow us to have:
- a just wage for workers
- old age security for retired workers: paid for by the workers, their employers, and the State
- summer camps for the families of workers: low cost holiday resorts available to worker families, subsidised by the State
- generous wage programs of a 35 hour work week, with paid holidays of 14 days per year, as stated as General Holiday:
> Jan 01- New Years, Feb 14- Ash Wednesday, Mar 15 - Spring Break Day, Apr - Easter, May 24 - Queens birthday, June 7 - Kings birthday, July 20 - Independence Day, Aug 10 - Founding of Zoltansk Day, Sept 3- Labor Day, Oct 23 - Princes Day, Nov 29 - Day of Remembering, Dec 24-26 Three Days of Christmas


Zoltansk does not need, nor does it want, the international Communist suggestion as laid out in the the latest UN proposal. We have a solution to worker/employer differences. Why force countries to change their internal machinations simply to appease a resolution from an outside nation?
Free Soviets
22-11-2003, 10:00
You seem to already have something very much like labor unions. They are not as free as we would like, but if things are as good as you say they are and the workers are content with the current structure then this resolution changes nothing for your nation.
AFoFS UN Council
22-11-2003, 15:21
You seem to already have something very much like labor unions. They are not as free as we would like, but if things are as good as you say they are and the workers are content with the current structure then this resolution changes nothing for your nation.
AFoFS UN Council

But this resolution will change the economic system of other states and without the permission of its government or its inhabitants. Why does everything have to be to your liking? You have no respect for people do you? If people don't want to unionize, then respect their wishes. Anarchists and Communists and like you have been the ill of society since the mid 1800s.
Dendrys
22-11-2003, 17:13
...
Dendrys
23-11-2003, 18:29
With all due respect, it does change things for all of us.

The representative from Zoltansk has outlined their current arrangement of workers' guilds (an arrangement Dendrys applauds). But, for the sake of argument, suppose that in the near future, an invention comes to Zoltansk... let's say, a vacation machine a la Total Recall. Zoltansk, recognizing both the benefits of the new industry for the Zoltansk economy and the drop in vacation expenses for the average Zoltanskian using the machine instead of going someplace -- Zoltansk decides to enact legislation saying that businesses, non-profit groups, UNIONS, and anyone else who offers vacation benefits must allow members receiving those benefits to use the vacation machines if they so choose -- in order to prevent said businesses, organisations or unions from forcing people to take realtime vacations or none at all.

Or, let's say the invention is... a computer. Suddenly, information is available to everyone who has enough money to own a machine and pay hookup fees to an ISP. There's a sudden and dramatic shift in which organisations put their charters, financial information, contact information, and planning data online. And just as suddenly... poor people don't have access to that information anymore, because the physical records are kept in Timbuktu in a storage closet. Zoltansk, recognising that the poor have equal rights to this information, makes a law that states that if an organisation places its bylaws, financial data, etc. online, it has to provide a free-access internet-hooked computer available to all its members at least 12 hours a day. But under this present resolution, Zoltansk is not supposed to apply that law to the labour unions.

Where is your worker protection then? The poorest will be disenfranchised. Is that not exactly contrary to your goal, Free Soviets?



Respectfully submitted,
Nialle Sylvan
Speaker for the Trees