The working environment is not different from the wider social environment where we interact with each other and with situations involving power. There are many instances where we may say that people have blinkers, turn a blind eye or else fail to react to what is highly disputable. They may instead embrace it for one reason or another.

We may look at injustices which we experience in our society, at the limited number of protestors compared to the number of people who are affected by some ill decision, at some verbal or physical abuse which is still tolerated. We may look at the way people who try to bring about changes in society are attacked, sidelined and ridiculed even when most may agree with their cause. We may look at the far too many of us who comply, agree or remain silent when decisions, even disputable are coming from someone in power.

The 'Yes Culture' in our society is prevalent also in working environments. Besides the workplace's reflection of society and its values of lack of them, there are various reasons why this culture is being experienced in workplaces. Instant gratification, which is demanded by young employees when joining employment promotes a transactional relationship between the workplace and the employee. As long as the employee gets what they want in monetary terms or conditions, anything that happens in the work environment is unchallenged.

There is no desire for employees to challenge decisions to improve the work environment, as work has become a hop-on, hop-off experience. "I take the ride as long as it suits me, following which I choose another ride with another employer who offers me something better". This is becoming the norm with younger employees in a number of workplaces. Seasoned employees may hold tight to their workplace but they may still not challenge decisions. They may have a broader experience of life and may be tarnished by experiences whereby their challenging did not yield to the desired results. They may look at the wider aspect of justice, thinking that major injustices in society were not even acknowledged, let alone addressed. Clearly in their view, their minor injustices at the workplace will not be addressed in this scenario.

Closely tied with the 'Yes Culture' is a 'Unitarist Culture'. "We are a family", "We are in this together", "We have passed through all the issues", "We have the same interests", "We are one team", "There is no you and us here", "Come to management directly for any problems". These are some of the messages passed by management to employees at the workplace. They may seem genuine at first and may empower the employee.

Sometimes they are genuine, but in a working environment where these messages are used to silence employees' opinions, to promote compliance, to refrain from debating workplace issues, to refrain from challenging decisions and authority, they lead to an environment which slowly shuts the doors to trade union action. The 'Unitarist Culture' leads to individualism and an erosion of the collective. Some workplaces do not value a collective environment.

They do not want employees to be united as their unity can affect the employment conditions and challenge the status quo. Some workplaces value individualism and promote it by ensuring that each individual employee feels that they are different from their colleagues. Whilst monetary compensation or awards for work are often used, the way management may relate with individual employees, through friendliness with one but not the other, through praise with one but not the other, through social life interactions with one but not the other, and other similar management strategies effectively lead to a divide amongst employees.

The divide favours management and not employees. The short-term gains that some employees may be getting from these preferential treatments imply long-term losses for the entire working community.  A challenge to these cultures requires a concerted effort by trade unions and their members.

Marco Bonnici is President of the Malta Union of Teachers