CANADA
Christian Post
Friday, Nov. 4, 2005 Posted: 12:38:30PM EST
Clergy members in the United Church of Canada may start signing up for union membership to protect them from everyday and extreme “clergy abuse,” pending an announcement by the Canadian Auto Workers Union later today.
Since last year, a group of clergy members and their spouses began a campaign to gather the support of at least 60 percent of the United Church ministers in the province of Ontario to form a union. They have until the end of the day to reach their target or the current sign-up drive expires.
According to Rev. David Galton, one of the organizers, there are approximately 1,100 UCC clergy in the province and he is hopeful that the drive will be successful. ...
According to Galston, “clergy abuse” comes in many forms that range from false accusations of theft to sexual harassment and physical violence.
“There was even a case of rape,” Galston said Friday. “It’s just very sad, and you can’t possibly argue that this goes with the job.”
Should organizers succeed, they would be forming the first official union for clergy members in Ontario. They also have plans to extend such efforts to other provinces.