Horace O. Aiken | Be content as workers in the vineyard

‘UNACCEPTABLE’, ‘UNFAIR’, ‘unconscionable’, ‘obscene’ – these are some of the adjectives the public and other commentators are using to describe the recent announcement by the finance minister for the increase in parliamentarian salaries as the public-sector compensation restructuring continues. An exercise we could easily say would fall somewhere in the top five toughest things a finance minister is tasked with since 1962.

To further support the mammoth task this compensation restructuring is, many prime ministers since 1972 – Michael Manley, Edwards Seaga and P.J. Patterson – have established committees to review and present a path to carry this out. Clearly, it has been a necessity for almost 50 years now, but not without the trepidation of the political implication it could have if carried out. Three committees of brilliant minds still couldn’t force the hands of our leaders at the time to execute an assignment so pivotal to the improvement of the public sector.

Well, it is now done! Dr Nigel Clarke and the Jamaica Labour Party have executed it. Now the question is, will they be executed politically for it? Time will tell. Everybody is talking. The outrage by the public is understandable. Once you are dealing with the public-sector worker salaries it is never without tension, dissatisfaction from all the sectors – the teachers, nurses, the police – and the list goes on.

And even if there is an agreement and there is a signing, some unfinished business is always pending which has to be addressed at the next sitting at the table, whenever that is. It is a never-ending task. However, the kind of backlash that has sparked from this recent announcement by the finance minister could be seen as unparalleled. Three reasons come to mind as to why this is so. First, who gets the increase – the politicians. The public’s heart has been broken so many times by politicians, and as a result, there is no soft spot towards them, especially when it comes to money; only corruption and skulduggery come to mind. People believe that our politicians have been raiding the public purse for too long now.

Second, the magnitude of the increase – over 200 per cent in most cases. This speaks for itself. And finally, the transparency of the increase. Everybody has a chance to see or hear the breakdown of this increase right across the board, knowing their before and after figures.

As I reflect on the latter, my thoughts were directed to a passage of scripture in the Gospel of Matthew 20: 1-16, the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Not to present a sermon here, but it’s a parable that is useful in this context, and gives an opportunity to highlight how scriptures can impact and guide our day-to-day life. The parable, spoken by Jesus, seems to show that though the Jews were called first in the vineyard at length, the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and they should be admitted to the equal privileges and advantages with the Jews.

It further highlights that the vineyard is constantly in need of workers, and so persons are being hired clandestinely at various hour of the day. The parable culminated with the most surprising but amazing twist when it was compensation time for the workers. Everyone was being rewarded openly even though they were employed privately. But what was comparable to what is happening now and what had happened then, is the response of the workers when everybody’s payslip was revealed. That’s when ‘all hell pop loose’. There was an outrage among the workers, probably shouting these very words – unfair, unacceptable, unconscionable. The employees were upset because those who started working at the last hour of the day received the same salary package as those who begun working at the beginning of the day.

Assessing this parable with its application to now, notwithstanding the spiritual meaning concerning the kingdom of God, which is not able to be dealt with in this space, it seems the real issue is not what they got, but rather, what their colleagues were getting – the politicians. Is there a deeper issue at play here that we should not overlook? Both the workers in the parable and the public sector only became antsy when they were made aware of their fellow co-workers in the vineyard salary. They both thought that they were entitled to more in comparison to their colleague. The trigger was the knowledge of their colleague’s pay cheque. To get upset because I saw my colleague’s income, is that healthy? Obviously, there was no rage prior to the revelation, so to be in a rage after the disclosure speaks to another issue that is associated with human nature … envy.

Envy is an emotion which occurs when a person lacks another’s quality, skill, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it. This is an old sentiment from as far back as from the beginning of time. It will change the pleasant countenance on one’s face towards our brother in a split second. It breeds crime. Humans will always be in contention with this lure, but it’s one we have to guard ourselves from. Sometimes as leaders, we shy away from full disclosure concerning certain things, especially when it comes on to finance, not because we are hiding corruption, but to prevent this kind of upheavals. People don’t handle these things well, even if they were at a place of contentment. It tends to disrupt that peace they were coping with.

For me, I wish the outrage would have taken place during the negotiation, and the signing did not occur. As the parable closes, in his response to the workers, the landowner asked a fundamental question (vs 13) when he said, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?” It was a tough response, but I believe it was one that was fair. Regardless of how inequitable it looks there was an agreement, and so there should be contentment.

One might say the politicians tricked us, and even if that is true, what is also true is that there was a treaty. At the next sitting at the table, other things can be resolved.

This is not an attempt to defend politicians and their high increase in salary, but rather, to highlight a deeper problem that is affecting Jamaicans than politicians’ salary. This culture where we can’t keep our composure when our fellow brother is promoted, earning more than us, when him ‘get a buss’, when his business beside us seems to be flourishing a little more than yours, even though it’s a similar business.

To be content in a world that seems unfair is very hard, but it’s a good state to be in because life will always throw these things at us. If it’s not the politicians, it will be something else. Contentment is not a passive state, but rather, a powerful state of mind. So, I encourage all the workers in the vineyard – teachers, police, nurses, doctors, all civil servants – ask for what you think you are worth, and when you sign off, be content as you carry out your duties. Life will always honour this attitude.

- Rev Horace O. Aiken is a justice of the peace. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.