The Catholic Church has had a history of supporting the Labor Movement

[bleedingheart]

I know that the church gets bashed a lot but in the area I live, Pittsburgh, it is well known that a number of priests were actively involved in the unionization movements.

In fact there is an official Labor Chaplain who is currently a Catholic priest in our area. He was released from his normal duties specifically to work in the Labor Movement.

This same priest said that there was more to pro-life than abortion, among those a living wage, healthcare, good schools..etc

[AngryOldDem]

1. You're correct

The Church has always been in the forefront to protect the worker.

If you have time, read the encyclicals Rarum Novarum (considered the seminal, modern document on labor),issued by Leo XIII, and Quadragesimo Anno, from Pius XI.

I think the Church's defense of labor makes me most proud to be Catholic.

[DemBones DemBones]

2. Oddly enough, there's not much talk about labor unions at DU.

I fear that Democrats are not doing enough to keep unions alive. The trend for unions has gone downhill ever since Reagan fired everyone with PATCO. When unions do well, everybody does well. Except the very rich, of course, who don't make quite as much money when unions have power and therefore hate unions.

How anyone can oppose paying people a living wage, I just don't know.

I hope our next pope will be a firebrand for labor rights. Not long ago I read a book about the Philippines that told in one part about John Paul II visiting there and totally pissing off the sugar plantation owners by chastising them for not doing more for their workers. Now, sadly, he is too old and ill to do what he once could.

[bleedingheart]

3. I agree it would be wonderful for the next pope to be pro-labor

since so many are being taken advantage of in the world by corporations.

[bobbieinok]

4. why don't you suggest a group to discuss labor and unions??

I want to know more.....no one in my family was ever in a union....growing up the local papers constantly attacked unions

[demosincebirth]

7. I grew up in a union household and everything I have now I

owe to the good wages and benifits that my teamster union negotiated for men.
I am retired now and live very comfortably in the bay area. I wonder how many workingmen and women can say that when they retire? Its a shame that many young people now, without protection from a union, will struggle in their retirement or have to work into their late seventies or eighties. Thank God for Unions!

[DemBones DemBones]

9. Last night, listening to a discussion of Social Security and

Dubya's planned changes, I heard someone say that now that people live longer, people will just have to work into their seventies in the future. :grr:

As if it were no big deal, just a simple change. As if living longer doesn't mean people still tire much faster as they age, and have had enough of working full-time by age 65.

We are human beings, meaning we're meant to be, to live and enjoy life, and to love God and our fellow humans. If we were meant just to work, we'd be called human workings.

[Beer Snob-50]

5. The commandment thou shalt not steal

also demands that we pay a fair wage to our workers. So following that commandment and supporting unions go hand in hand.

[demosincebirth]

6. During the 60's, in Ca, the Church was in the forefront in the movement

to organize farm workers, standing side by side with Cesar Chavez were many catholic priest and nuns holding picket signs along side striking farmworkers. They seem to avoid this issue on Du when they bash the Church for its failing.

[DemBones DemBones]

8. They were glad to have us marching for civil rights, against the Vietnam

war, against capital punishment, but hate us for marching against abortion.

[demosincebirth]

10. Abortion, at that time was not an issue, yet the church was still in fhe

forefront of farmworkers rights. I should know, I was there.