A meaningful life and social cohesion is about good social relations and not about the legal arguments that some people purport it to be.<\/p>\n
While it is true that society needs laws to regulate social behavior in a very legal framework like the National constitution, it is equally true that society develops norms and practices to regulate behaviour in other to coexist in a harmonious state.<\/p>\n
Is it not the case that any time the courts give judgment, the defeated party goes ‘gaga’, I will appeal? What does that mean? Judgment would have been given in a fair and just manner but the judgment in most cases breaks down social relations and this could go on to affect generations unborn.<\/p>\n
In our communities do we really think about the National constitution in our relationship with one another? We are mostly guided by acceptable norms of the society which we internalize by the socialization processes.<\/p>\n
Human beings are faced with choices every minute, hour and daily and the choices we make have implications for our social relations, our individual development and the progress of society<\/p>\n
Being legalistic or using common sense? In the legal profession it is always said that the best advice to give a client is out of court settlement in mostly civil cases.<\/p>\n
This will produces a win-win situation for parties to continue to keep social cohesion, it will be out of naivety for people to think peace and harmony could be derived from constant application of the constitution as a way of life in their organizations, societies and groups. Common sense need to apply in most cases to keep some level of cohesion among groups societies and organizations.<\/p>\n
It is not all truths that can be told at any time but that does not mean those truths do not apply, a group should not disintegrate as a result of the pronouncement of one truth, this is common sense!<\/p>\n
General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) presents a test case for study; confronted with a hydra headed social differences and personal interests among leadership, secretariat staff and some vocal local union Executives.<\/p>\n
The parties resulted to the interpretation of the union’s constitution on daily bases either rightly or wrongly for various interests. I doubt if they even have the capacity to do what they were doing.<\/p>\n
A union that is confronted with loss of membership, disunity among leadership, control of power and resources, financial decline, breakdown of law and order, break down of work ethics etc. has the laxity in stretching their differences to the limit.<\/p>\n
In my view the problems have gone from bad to worse using the legal approach. I am not in any way discounting the usefulness of the constitution of the union in times of dispute after all that is why it is there to guide members of the union.<\/p>\n
Common sense could have played a much more meaningful role in calming down tempers and to allow individuals to work on their egos and emotions and to gradually reconstruct a new and a more sustainable path for the union. In any case this could resurface soon after conference if the status co and approach remain same. I am not a soothsayer but a realist and a critical thinker.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
By: Hans Awude, Programme Officer (GAWU)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A meaningful life and social cohesion is about good social relations and not about the legal arguments that some people purport it to be. While it is true that society needs laws to regulate social behavior in a very legal framework like the National constitution, it is equally true that society develops norms and practices […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":210357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[374],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n