A thread about Christian Denominational views on #EconomicJustice and #Unions.

Technically I’m a day late to the #LaborDay Party, but that’s because I was savoring the day with my two fab children, so it all works out.

1/x

It might surprise people to learn that several Christian denominations have official statements on their books supporting unions, their right to exist, and their right to collectively bargain.

2/x

In a 1986 document entitled “Economic Justice for All,” ( https://www.usccb.org/upload/economic_justice_for_all.pdf ) the US Roman Catholic Bishops wrote:

3/x

“104. The Church fully supports the right of workers to form unions or other associations to secure their rights to fair wages and working conditions. This is a specific application of the more general right to associate. In the words of Pope John Paul II...

4/x

‘The experience of history teaches that organizations of this type are an indispensable element of social life, especially in modern industrial societies.’ Unions may also legitimately resort to strikes where this is the only available means to the justice owed to workers...

5/x

No one may deny the right to organize without attacking human dignity itself. Therefore, we firmly oppose organized efforts, such as those regrettably now seen in this country, to break existing unions and prevent workers from organizing...

6/x

Migrant agricultural workers today are particularly in need of the protection, including the right to organize and bargain collectively. US labor law reform is needed to meet these problems as well as to provide more timely and effective remedies for unfair labor practices.” 7/x

Also worthy of note is the Social Statement entitled “Economic Life: Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All,” ( http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Economic_LifeSS.pdf?_ga=2.196224612.99248124.1599589027-1630810172.1599589027) approved by my denomination, the @ELCA.

8/x

It states (among other theologically solid, courageously articulated, justice-oriented, compassionately-directed, prophetically-inspired claims) that “We commit ourselves as a church to...honor the right of employees to organize for the sake of better working conditions and...9/x

for workers to make free and informed decisions; encourage those who engage in collective bargaining to commit themselves to negotiated settlements, esp. when participatory attempts at just working conditions fail; & discourage the permanent replacement of striking workers.” 10/x

The Methodists are not silent in these regards either, stating in several documents (and summed up here https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-is-the-united-methodist-position-on-labor-unions) that:

11/x

“In the US, we were among the first supporters of the labor movement where both lay and clergy members played leadership roles in supporting garment workers, textile workers, farm workers, and factory workers and advocating passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act and...

12/x

the National Labor Relations Act. From our beginnings and across the globe, we have led the way in seeking improved conditions and stronger unions for workers. Through public policy work, shareholder advocacy, and consumer power, the church and its members have...

13/x

sought to influence political and corporate decisions affecting working conditions around the world...The United Methodist Church through its Social Principles recognizes and supports the right of workers to organize into unions of their own choosing and to bargain...

14/x

collectively regarding hours, wages and conditions of employment (Social Principles ¶163b). Workers around the world are finding it harder and harder to form labor unions to achieve economic and social justice in the workplace. Many employers interfere with employees'...

15/x

efforts to exercise their right to unionize by firing or retaliating against union supporters, threatening to close their facilities, or speciously challenging bargaining units or election results.”

16/x

And in a 2006 General Convention Act (found here https://episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/acts/acts_resolution-complete.pl?resolution=2006-C008 ) the Episcopal Church-USA resolved:

17/x

“That the 75th General Convention reaffirm the right of workers in the United States to organize and form unions. We especially affirm the right to organize and form unions for seasonal and migrant workers who historically have been deprived of those rights...

18/x

We support the right to organize and form unions as a means to securing adequate wages, benefits, & safety conditions for all workers. We encourage all levels of the church to be informed about, & act accordingly, when rights of workers to associate is being jeopardized...

19/x

We commend the work of Interfaith Worker Justice in calling upon our religious values in support of issues and campaigns that will improve wages, benefits, and working conditions for low-wage workers.”

20/x

The American Baptists also have a record of commitment to workers’ rights, concluding on a Resolution on Labor ( https://www.abc-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/LABOR.pdf) passed in 1966, 1981, and 1990 that:

21/x

“We reaffirm our position that workers have the right to organize by a free and democratic vote of the workers involved. This right of organization carries the responsibility of union leadership to protect the rights of workers...

22/x

to guarantee each member an equal voice in the operation of its organization, and to produce just output labors for income received.”

23/x

Additionally, it’s worth noting that Frances Perkins ( http://francesperkinscenter.org/life-new/ ), US Labor Secretary from ‘33-‘45, instrumental in shaping the New Deal, the CCC, and the Social Security Act, and who created the Fair Labor Standards Act, in which the minimum wage and...

24/x

overtime protection laws were established, and who legitimated unions as a force in policy and which needed to be recognized as policy, is honored by the Episcopal Tradition, to which she belonged, as a Saint. The church pays her homage on May 13. https://episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/perkins-frances

25/x

“Come all you who labor and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Mt 11:28

The Gospel knows that resurrection is good news for the dead, and that rest is welcome to the weary, and that, workers are worthy of life, and abundant life at that. 26/x

(Although written in 2013, I wrote a blog which gathered various faith groups’ official statements on economic justice. While the context for the blog is seven years old, the statements remain relevant. You can find it here: http://omgcenter.com/2013/01/16/religious-social-statements-on-economic-justice-and-poverty/) 27/x

And because I’m sure that economic justice is related to the economy, ecology, and ecumenism of God, you can find more musings on facets of the above here: http://omgcenter.com/category/economics/