In the Catholic tradition, work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continued participation in God’s creative action. As we mark #LaborDay this year, we are invited in a special way to reflect on the persistence of low wages and inequality in our workplaces.
In your own experience of work—in an office setting, serving others, as a student, or working in the home—how have you experienced work as a form of participation in God’s creative action? How are persistent low wages a barrier to full participation in that creative action? What can you do to support workplaces built upon justice and dignity?
“Our faith calls us to pray, work, and advocate for protections that allow all laborers to thrive,” said Archbishop Borys Gudziak and Bishop Mark J. Seitz in a joint reflection for Labor Day (Sept. 2). The bishop chairmen called for a more just economy that honors the human dignity of all who labor, inclusive of those who have newly arrived in the country, as well as those whose families have been here for generations. The bishops also addressed affronts to the dignity of children, who have been identified by some as supplemental sources of labor amid widespread worker shortages, and called attention to the plight of those who work in industries without protections due to their immigration status.
As Catholics, how can we respond?
In the workplace, if we are business owners, managers, or supervisors, we can help ensure that our businesses and organizations are offering family wages and the dignity-affirming benefits that our long Catholic tradition affirms should be available for all workers and their families.
As we listen to the needs of those in our community, we are challenged to support those organizations that are empowering their employees to be owners and decision-makers. Find a local group that supports employee ownership in your community and get involved in creating a more just economic system.
We can also join local efforts to support a just wage/family wage, which is a wage at which workers and their families can have access to what they need to fulfill basic needs and thrive.
We can use our purchasing power to help protect human dignity. We can be educated consumers, support local businesses and ethically-produced products, and let companies know when we are unhappy with their labor practices.
Learn about efforts in your parish and local community to assist workers and their families, or to support their needs through advocacy or other efforts and get involved.
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