“Unity or agreement of feeling or action, (especially) among individuals with common interest” (Definition of ‘solidarity’ by the Oxford English Dictionary)When recently stopping by my office in Hamilton, I had to step carefully, since there was a man stretched out in a sleeping bag, near the entrance. In times past, I’ve harboured dismissive thoughts about such a scene, but in that moment I had feelings of compassion and a sense of “solidarity”. Accessing my better self, I had understood that in this complex world, “there but for the grace of God, go I”, recognising our interconnection.Today is the 30th Anniversary of the General Strike of 1981 in Bermuda, one of the watersheds in our shared history. I believe that this story offers us some lessons about this idea of “solidarity”, about connections. We are familiar with the term “charity”, but “solidarity” goes a step further. It challenges us to recognise connections; to maintain a sense of independence and detachment, with the view of expanding our perspective.The Strike started in mid-April that year, with workers whose incomes were among those most challenged by the inflation of the boom of the early 1980s. This had added stressors to the fractures in out society. As the days of the strike moved into weeks, garbage remained uncollected and hospital basic services were stretched. My personal connections with Glad Simmons, the leader of the hospital section of the BIU, made it easy to have a sense of solidarity and I organised a Strikers Support Committee along with Canon Thomas Nisbett and Rev. Larry Lowe. Canon Nisbett’s involvement demonstrated how “solidarity” calls for a sense of independence, since his stand would place him outside his church’s norms and values.That sense of independence would mean that even if you feel solidarity, one is prepared to disagree with those with whom you connect. So that as the strike expanded over the days of late April, a group of taxi drivers began to picket at the Airport and this led to a bottleneck resulting in passengers having to walk long distances. This points to the issue of perspective, when actions in solidarity with one group might adversely affect the “other” who is not even involved in the dispute. There is also the potential of violence that this scenario might pose.“When you pick up a stick by one end, you also cause an impact with the other end.” (Chinese saying)Our group was committed to ensuring that the dispute remained peaceful, three short years after Bermuda’s tragic violence of 1977. Claiming our independence, Glad, myself and others developed another strategy, in order to move the focus from the airport.On Monday, May 27, 1981, we started lunchtime prayer sessions for the community at St Paul, led by Larry and Canon Nisbett, small numbers came out initially. On April 28, we organised an evening public meeting at St Paul, but only a dozen people turned out. On April 30, a meeting of the BUT was organised to encourage the teachers to come out in solidarity, but that vote was unsuccessful. On April 29 we organised a meeting in solidarity with the strikers, but only a dozen people came.On Friday, May 1, I called my principal Dr. Clifford Maxwell to report to him that I was taking a personal strike-day off in solidarity with the government and hospital workers.On that Friday a group of us organised a group of about 700 workers most of whom had just walked off from BTC to take part in an unauthorised march through Hamilton. It is worth noting that due to the spontaneous nature of it, we ended up being led by Police Superintendent Campbell Simons, up one-way streets, etc.Sunday May 3, we organised a meeting at Warwick Workman’s Club of 1,000 people in solidarity.Monday May 4, teachers voted on a one-day work stoppage for May 5th, this after Randy Horton told a story of having to eat potted meat sandwiches three times a day when he was young. The announcement of the intention of the BUT served as the tipping point for the process. Tuesday May, 5 Teachers met at Bernard Park to march in solidarity through Church Street and on to Union Square. Our fears that not many would show were unfounded as a large diverse crowd, led by Lorraine Fubler and Betty Kawaley, turned out.The next major piece that day was the Belco’s ESTU led by Chuck Renaud who happens to be white this would have completed a circle that had begun with the violent dispute at the Electric Light Company in 1965. This points to how reconciliation leads to solidarity. Consequently the largest gathering of workers and supporters joined together that day in solidarity. Of course the matter of perspective comes into play as we consider winning battles and losing wars. There has been much reflection on the impact of the ‘81 strike on our hospitality industry.With the perspective of hindsight, there are many lessons on offer.Prayer of Jabez: Oh that you would bless me, and enlarge my territory ... This Old Testament story speaks to perspective and its implications for solidarity, among other things. The lessons offered by the story of the General Strike and demonstrated an enlargement when teachers, who seldom went on strike for themselves, came out for those who might have been considered by some in that time as “mere workers”. The Belco workers put aside their grievances of almost two decades and acted in solidarity. Today in Bermuda we are faced with a period of unprecedented challenge, with the most dramatic symptom being the death toll of murders. If we can look to enlarge our territory ... we can move our perspective to establish solidarity in all the neighbourhoods in our small island.This would take us beyond the “us and them” nature of our shared past. We could exercise our sense of independence that would nurture our sense of responsibility and broaden our perspective. Additionally, we can develop the kind of solidarity that would foster collaboration in the various sectors of our society. This would strengthen our community and make for a better Bermuda.