By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
United we stand divided we fall. Truer words have never been written or spoken in any context where strength or weakness is in the collective will.
The Public Service Association, PSA, is meeting this Saturday and it will be their second in the span of a few weeks.
The first is when the new FAST Government went on a sacking rampage that has already resulted in two contract terminations and four resignations at the CEO level.
The Government defence is they do not have the confidence or the trust in the CEOs.
Talks of an industrial strike in the public service have been thrown around loosely in response to the new Government action.
The public servants will probably make a decision this week.
Whatever that maybe there is little doubt the cold sweat of fear and uncertainties have seeped into the service to unsettle the harmony and stability that was once there.
Public servants, especially at the CEO and Assistant CEO levels are anxious about the security of their jobs.
Families have to be housed and fed, children put through schools or in need of medical care, mortgage loans to be paid, contributions to the church……
This is where the fear lives and it is only human. Nobody wants to live in a state of fright and that is the hell they will eventually have to face head on.
Should they continue to jump at every little squeak in the dark or should they confront their fears once and for all while throwing caution to the winds and faith in divine justice?
The answer to the public servants trepidations will be made at their second meeting this week.
There are no easy answers. The cut throat options are either to strike or not to strike. Which one will it be?
The other option is to negotiate for job security assurances they can sleep on without nightmares to wake them up in the middle of the night in cold sweat.
The thought of the late PM Tofilau Eti Alesana comes to mind with his beliefs and strength of character to always argue from a point of strength.
The PSA should take their cue from there.
As it has been said already, if Government can do away with CEOs and their contracts without breaking a sweat what does that say about the rest of the service?
What screams out to the public servants from all that is where is the security for their jobs?
The only reassuring thought that could bring some comfort is knowing that help is within easy reach but not by standing alone but together in a group.
The PSA is where they need to be to band as one.
When it is said there is strength in numbers it is all about standing united to form a bond of unity against come what may.
The worst enemy when making difficult decisions has to be the person’s conscience wherein lies the guilt that decides between peace and hell.
Conscience is when you decide whether you allow your fears to make your life a misery or confront them and man up to what is right and wrong to enjoy some peace and relief for a change.
It was obvious in Parliament over the past few days how the Speaker would put his foot down and quickly shut off any mention by members of the injustices done to the CEOs who are out of jobs.
The worry is obvious enough. To stir up the emotions in the working force is like playing with the trigger of a loaded gun.
What happens if the gun goes off?
For the worried public servant, fearful of being pointed to the door, the real issue is to see the justice of what is right or wrong.
When the new Government slammed the boot on the CEOs was that fair or not?
What if this is going to become a trend in the future with every new incoming Government ‘cleaning out the swamp’ because of the insecurities they with those in the service?
Admittedly there is also division in the service and this is where they should all put their loyalties to the test of conscience.
If they can live with the decision to strike or not to strike but negotiate that is where they should stand on the option to take.
The secret to winning their fight is to stand together as a group.
The rule of strength is all in the saying. United we stand. Divided we fall.
Lord forgive our trespasses on Your rest day.