The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers The Catholic Church has a well-documented tradition on labor and unions, rooted in the human right of association. The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative. This year we are aware of injustices that still exist when women and refugees can be denied equal pay for equal work and those who are victimized by human trafficking are forced to work by those who enslave them.
This Labor Day, take a few minutes to reflect on Catholic Social Teaching and the dignity of the worker and work itself. Click here for Selected Quotations from Catholic Social Thought on Workers and Labor Unions.