Just 'flex' with the changing times By Devon Dick,
Contributor
THE NATION including the Church is being asked to 'flex' and accept a flexi-work week as a the way forward for the economic development of the people. The proposal from the 1996 Labour Reform Committee chaired by Professor George Eaton is that all seven days become normal work days; the work day to consist of a maximum of 12 hours; the work week to consist of 40 hours and overtime would be earned after 40 hours of work. These changes have the support of the Private Sector, Government and Trade Unions. Concerned church leaders support the flexi-work arrangements but over five days from Monday to Friday. The church leaders recognise that certain Essential Services would be required to operate on Saturdays and Sundays. In fact, weekend and shift work is already taking place in manufacturing, mining, hospitality, tourism, health, security, communication and transportation sectors. Many businesses are operating illegally in contravention of the Shops and Offices Act and Regulations which does not allow them to open on Sundays. The concerned church leaders do not want those exceptions to become the rule and they want both Saturday and Sunday to be reserved for worship. Benefits There are 14 benefits of a flexi-work week but the strongest arguments for it are that it will benefit the country's productivity and give more time to family and personal interests. The Green Paper on Flexible Work Arrangements by Minister Donald Buchanan provides the benefits of the arrangements but fails to list the possible disadvantages. However, a document that was presented at the Jamaica Employers Federation Convention in May 2001 lists four possible disadvantages to the employers and six to the employees. The government and Private Sector need to acknowledge that there are possible disadvantages. It is good that persons who worship on Saturdays and those who worship on Sundays have joined together in the struggle against aspects of the flexi-work arrangements. Most church leaders have objected to flexi work week because it will affect the day of worship. Seventh Day Adventists say it is the seventh day while Sunday worshippers say it is the first day. The Bible says to remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy (Exodus 20: 8-11). The word 'Sabbath' does not mean seventh rather it means "to cease, to desist, to come to rest". For example, God rested or ceased creation (Gen 2:2). So the commandment could read, 'remember the REST day to keep it holy. In fact, originally the Sabbath was a day of absolute rest and there were no gatherings or services! So it is quite alright for persons to want to worship on Saturday or Sunday or even Friday for that matter based on that command. The word "Sabbath" might be applied to any sacred season as a time of cessation from labour. (Lev. 16:31) Sabbath However, in spite of the Sabbath being applicable to any sacred season as a time of cessation from labour, the Sabbath is popularly associated with the seventh day of the week without regard to the month or the year. In this wise, the Sabbath was considered to begin at sunset on Friday and to end at sunset or nightfall on the Saturday in accordance with Jewish customs of the evening and the morning being the day. However, there are countries that have sunlight for five months so how would one calculate the Seventh day or the First day? Furthermore, in France and Spain the first day of the week is Monday while the seventh day is Sunday. The ridiculous thing is that in France the Sunday worshippers are worshipping on the seventh day! The emphasis on a day is much ado about nothing and in fact, when it is Saturday in Jamaica it is a different day in Australia and at that precise moment what day is it to God? Would it be Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Imagine if you are in outer space then what day it would be? No one can prove that Saturday is really the seventh day or that Sunday is the first day because no one knows how old the world is or when the seven-day week began, therefore exactness is impossible. History would have had to be unbroken from creation until now to be certain that the first or seventh day of then is still the same. The best that can be done is to acknowledge that both days are legitimate days for worship. The proposed introduction of flexi-work week has forced the Church to accept that it is legitimate to worship on either Saturday or Sunday and to examine the benefits of a flexi-work week over five days. It is time to 'flex' and accept the good changes. The Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church.
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