Union: Bishop mocking the pope
The following article appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, July 9, 2009:
Union: Bishop mocking the pope
The organization trying to unionize Catholic school teachers contends Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph Martino’s refusal on the matter makes “a mockery” of new pronouncements by Pope Benedict XVI regarding labor organization.
Benedict issued his third encyclical Tuesday, an exhaustive look at the world economic situation. Titled “Caritas in Veritate,” or “Charity in truth,” it touches on – among many other things -- the environment, abortion, marriage, energy efficiency and distribution, access to education, international tourism, migration, and the media.
The work criticizes the modern push for profit above all else and calls for “a profoundly new way of understanding business enterprise.”
Benedict touches on unions with relative brevity, considering the scope and length of the encyclical. He notes that “through the combination of social and economic change, trade union organizations experience greater difficulty in carrying out their task of representing the interests of workers.”
He also says “outsourcing of production can weaken the company’s sense of responsibility towards the stakeholders” including workers, suppliers and consumers.
Near the end of the encyclical he repeats the church’s long-standing support of labor unions, but notes they “should be open to new perspectives that are emerging in the world of work,” urging them to “turn their attention to those outside their membership.”
The Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers posted a notice on its Web site lauding the pope’s pronouncement and contending that Martino’s refusal to allow teachers to unionize runs counter to the encyclical.
“It seems that no matter what the Holy Father or his brother bishops (who only last week gave a ringing endorsement of the rights of church employees) have to say about workers rights, Bishop Joseph Martino will not relent in his harsh opposition to grant these very same basic human rights to those who work for him,” the posting says.
The association represented many Catholic school teachers in the area, but lost that right when Martino restructured schools diocesewide, eliminating the local school boards and parish councils with which the union had negotiated.
Martino rejected a request to unionize under the new system, insisting a new “Employee Relations Program” offers all school workers fair representation.
Diocesan Spokesman Bill Genello did not respond to an e-mail and phone message seeking comment.
Union: Bishop mocking the pope
The organization trying to unionize Catholic school teachers contends Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph Martino’s refusal on the matter makes “a mockery” of new pronouncements by Pope Benedict XVI regarding labor organization.
Benedict issued his third encyclical Tuesday, an exhaustive look at the world economic situation. Titled “Caritas in Veritate,” or “Charity in truth,” it touches on – among many other things -- the environment, abortion, marriage, energy efficiency and distribution, access to education, international tourism, migration, and the media.
The work criticizes the modern push for profit above all else and calls for “a profoundly new way of understanding business enterprise.”
Benedict touches on unions with relative brevity, considering the scope and length of the encyclical. He notes that “through the combination of social and economic change, trade union organizations experience greater difficulty in carrying out their task of representing the interests of workers.”
He also says “outsourcing of production can weaken the company’s sense of responsibility towards the stakeholders” including workers, suppliers and consumers.
Near the end of the encyclical he repeats the church’s long-standing support of labor unions, but notes they “should be open to new perspectives that are emerging in the world of work,” urging them to “turn their attention to those outside their membership.”
The Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers posted a notice on its Web site lauding the pope’s pronouncement and contending that Martino’s refusal to allow teachers to unionize runs counter to the encyclical.
“It seems that no matter what the Holy Father or his brother bishops (who only last week gave a ringing endorsement of the rights of church employees) have to say about workers rights, Bishop Joseph Martino will not relent in his harsh opposition to grant these very same basic human rights to those who work for him,” the posting says.
The association represented many Catholic school teachers in the area, but lost that right when Martino restructured schools diocesewide, eliminating the local school boards and parish councils with which the union had negotiated.
Martino rejected a request to unionize under the new system, insisting a new “Employee Relations Program” offers all school workers fair representation.
Diocesan Spokesman Bill Genello did not respond to an e-mail and phone message seeking comment.
posted by SDACT at
9:42 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home