CATHOLIC SCHOLARS FOR WORKER JUSTICE

Greg McDonald on RBB posted this statement from Catholic scholars.  It's well worth sending around.  Its Link is at the conclusion of my brief message.  I've signed it.

Thanks for posting this, Greg.  This is a pointed reaffirmation, as the statement indicates, of a long standing position in the Catholic Church (which is, of course, pluralistic in nature.)  It could be stimulated both by the deplorable economic situation in much of the world, including this country, and also by the new Pope whose inclinations are vastly more enlightened than those of his predecessor.

In the almost two years of my serving as social justice director of the very large (12 county)  Rochester (NY) Diocese, we "got into" many issues -- and certainly worker rights.  I mentioned, the other day, our campaign on behalf of the Algonquin mink skinners -- but I was also chair of the area Labor Law Reform Committee.  While many Church liberals (womens' ordination etc) were good on Labor rights, some other liberals were frightened by social justice militancy.  The theological conservatives, interestingly, and with some exceptions, tended to be pro-Labor.

When I was fired by the Bishop for insubordination, I was supported by, among other forces, 89 AFL-CIO unions, plus the Teamsters.

As you know, Father Tom Hagerty of New Mexico was the primary author of the IWW Preamble. And, of course, the Catholic Workers' movement has carried its visionary torch for decades.

http://www.catholicscholarsforworkerjustice.org/UNION_BUSTING_IS_A_MORTAL_SIN.pdf

Best, H


HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq / 
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk 
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO

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