Organized Religions Support Collective Bargaining

Who supports collective bargaining? If you listen to Republicans, conservatives, the Tea Party and in particular the Wisconsin Republicans you would think that most people don’t support collective bargaining. They also claim that as long as workers (unions) have collective bargaining there is no way to reduce government deficits. Most of what they say is false.

Currently, in Wisconsin, the Unions have made it very clear that they are willing to take pay cuts and contribute more too both their retirement plans and to pay for their health care costs. Their main request is that collective Bargaining be preserved. In many local governments in Minnesota many of the unions have worked with the different governmental agencies to reduce wages or payments for benefits during these tough economic times.

So who is supporting the right to collective bargaining? Polls done nationwide show almost 60% of people support the right of the unions to have collective bargaining. Well the following religions also believe in the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining: National Council of Churches (represents 33 million Protestants), Baptist Churches, Catholic Churches, Church of Brethren, Congregational Christian Churches, The Disciples of Christ, Evangelical and Reformed Church, Jewish Synagogue, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, The Protestant Episcopal Church and The Lutheran Church.

Republicans are always very quick wrap themselves with religion. So why are they ignoring what the religions are saying? Why do they want to trample on workers’ rights? The Milwaukee Archbishop, Jerome Listecki, issued a statement on February 16, 2011 saying “Hard times do not nullify the moral obligation each of us has to respect the legitimate rights of workers.”  He goes on to say that “Every union, like every other economic actor, is called to work to the common good, to make sacrifices when required and to adjust to new economic realities.” Remember the Wisconsin Unions have all said that they will accept the wage and benefit cuts the Wisconsin Governor has outlined. The Archbishop then says, “It is equally a mistake to marginalize or dismiss unions as impediments to economic growth.” So why are Republicans continuing to disrespect the legitimate rights of workers?

It is important for all of us to remember this and to act on it. When Republicans wrap themselves in religion ask them why they do not follow these same moral obligations when it came to respecting the legitimate rights of workers to organize and have collective bargaining? It would seem that Republicans prefer to support business rights over workers rights. In the process they are ignoring their moral obligations to workers. So in the future remind Republicans what Pope John Paul II said in is 1981 encyclical “Laborem Exercens” that a union “remains a constructive factor of social order and solidarity, and it is impossible to ignore.”

Please help fight for all of our union brothers and sisters.

Thank you,

Peter Fischer