Catholic social teaching backs right to strike

"Catholic teaching holds that people have the right to associate, form and belong to labor unions," said Thom Shellabarger, policy advisor for the United States Catholic Conference, which represents the American bishops in public policy matters.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Recourse to a strike is morally legitimate when it cannot be avoided, or at least when it is necessary to obtain a proportionate benefit. It becomes morally unacceptable when accompanied by violence, or when objectives are included that are not linked to working conditions or are contrary to the common good."

Morality of strikes

"The U.S. bishops have said that workers have the right to strike unless it jeopardizes the people underneath them -- if people are directly harmed," he said.

In discussing labor unions and strikes, Mr. Shellabarger said it is important to understand Church teaching on work.

What is work?

The Catechism continues: "Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation by subduing the earth, both with and for one another. Hence work is a duty. Work honors the Creator's gifts and the talents received from Him."

Those running businesses have responsibilities as well, according to the Catechism, including "an obligation to consider the good of persons and not only the increase of profits. Profits are necessary, however. They make possible the investments that ensure the future of business and they guarantee employment."

Corporate morality

One example of valuing profits over people occurs when jobs are moved out of the United States into Third World countries. According to Mr. Shellabarger, there is no way workers in the U.S. could morally work for the same pay Third World workers receive.

As the Catechism states, "Everyone should be able to draw from work the means of providing for his life and that of his family, and of serving the human community."

People and profits

"We need to be mindful of Third World workers," Mr. Shellabarger said. "We need to look at where things are made. It's hard to find clothes made in the U.S.A. We need to be aware of the costs to make the goods. Are the workers being paid a decent wage?"

He encourages consumers to look at labels and ask store managers questions about how the goods are produced. Once companies learn that people are concerned about the labor behind goods, he believes, labor practices will change.

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