ECONOMIC JUSTICE ISSUES
"The development of economic activity and growth in production are meant to provide for the needs of human beings. Economic life is not meant solely to multiply goods produced and increase profit or power; it is ordered first of all to the service of persons, of the whole man, and of the entire human community. Economic activity, conducted according to its own proper methods, is to be exercised within the limits of the moral order, in keeping with social justice so as to correspond to God's plan for man."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2426).
Labor Issues
SB 5
On June 29, 2011 over one million signatures were presented to the Secretary of State's office to repeal Ohio's collective bargaining law, SB 5. The State has till July 26, 2011 to verify the signatures. If enough signatures are deemed valid, a referendum to repeal SB 5 will be on the November 8, 2011 statewide ballot.
On March 31, 2011, the Ohio General Assembly enacted significant changes to Collective Bargaining provisions for public employees (SB 5).
On February 28, 2011, before the Ohio Senate passed their version of changes to Collective Bargaining, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio issued a statement calling all interested parties to seek the common good without eliminating collective bargaining.
The bishops' statement neither supported nor opposed SB 5. It did remind readers that Catholic Social Teaching has a long history of supporting worker rights and calling both workers and management to mutual partnerships where both the needs of labor and the needs of management are freely and openly acknowledged and addressed.
The Catholic Conference of Ohio does not have a formal position on the proposed referendum to overturn SB 5.
The Conference encourages readers to carefully review the strengths and weaknesses of SB 5.
Each of us has a responsibility to carefully and prudently discern public policies to determine whether they are morally sound, well conceived, and practical. People of good will may differ regarding specific responses to compelling social problems, but we cannot differ on our moral obligation to help build a more just and peaceful world through promoting the common good.
“To love someone is to desire that person's good and to take effective steps to secure it. Besides the good of the individual, there is a good that is linked to living in society: the common good.”
“[The common good] is the good of “all of us”, made up of individuals, families and intermediate groups who together constitute society. It is a good that is sought not for its own sake, but for the people who belong to the social community and who can only really and effectively pursue their good within it. To desire the common good and strive towards it is a requirement of justice and charity.”
“The more we strive to secure a common good corresponding to the real needs of our neighbors, the more effectively we love them.”
CARITAS IN VERITATE: ON INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN CHARITY AND TRUTH, POPE BENEDICT XVI, PARAGRAPH 7, JUNE 29, 2009
Catholic Social Teaching Resources related to Collective Bargaining:
Catholic Conference of Ohio's Statement on Collective Bargaining in Ohio 2/28/2011
For a better understanding of Catholic Social Doctrine regarding rights of workers and solidarity among workers please refer to "The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, " Chapter Six (Human Work), Section 5 & 6.
These sections offers caution and support for various worker rights. They include a framework supporting the legitimacy of striking under certain circumstance, as well as caution to unions "to secure the just rights of workers within the framework of the common good of the whole of society."
Catholic Social Justice Teachings on Economic Life
Catholic Church Statements on Labor Related Issues
Wisconsin Catholic Conference Statement on Rights of Workers 2/16/2011
The Good Company: Catholic Social Thought and Corporate Social Responsibility in Dialogue ( Sixth International Symposium on Catholic Thought and Management Education, Rome, Italy, October 2006). CLICK HERE
We offer the following links providing the pro and cons of SB 5. As you prayerfully discern this legislation consider how well it reflects the common good of workers, management and the welfare of Ohio residents.
Arguments to Repeal SB 5
Facts on SB 5: Upper Arlington Education Association 4/11
Arguments to Keep SB 5
SB 5 Truth: http://www.sb5truth.com/myth-vs-reality/
Frequently Asked Questions on SB 5: American Policy Roundtable
Legislative Background on SB 5
The Ohio House passed SB 5, Collective Bargaining on 3/30/11 by a vote of 53-44, The Senate concurred. The Governor signed the bill on 3/31/11.
Voting Yes: Adams J., Adams R., Amstutz, Anielski, Baker, Balderson, Beck, Blair, Blessing, Boose, Brenner, Bubp, Buchy, Burke, Butler, Coley, Combs, Derickson, Dovilla, Duffey, Gonzales, Goodwin, Grossman, Hackett, Hagan C., Hall ,Hayes, Henne, Hollington, Hottinger, Huffman, Landis, Maag, Martin, McClain, McKenney, Mecklenborg Newbold Peterson Roegner, Rosenberger, Ruhl, Schuring, Sears, Slaby, Sprague, Stautberg, Stebelton, Thompson, Uecker, Wachtmann, Young, Batchelder-53.
Voting No: Antonio, Ashford, Barnes, Budish, Carey, Carney, Celeste, Clyde, DeGeeter, Driehaus, Fedor, Fende, Foley, Gardner, Garland, Gentile, Gerberry, Goyal, Hagan R., Heard, Johnson, Kozlowski, Letson, Luckie, Lundy, Mallory, McGregor, Milkovich, Murray, O'Brien, Okey, Patmon, Phillips, Pillich, Ramos, Reece, Slesnick, Stinziano, Sykes, Szollosi, Weddington, Williams, Winburn, Yuko-44.
On March 2, 2011, the Ohio Senate passed Amended SB 5 by vote of 17-16.
Voting Yes: Bacon, Beagle, Hite, Cates, Daniels, Faber, Gillmor, Lehner, Jones, Jordan, LaRose, Niehaus, Obhof, Schaffer, Stewart, Wagoner, Widener.
Voting No: Grendell, Hughes, Manning, Oelslager, Patton, Seitz, Brown, Cafaro, Kearney, Sawyer, Schiavoni, Skindell, Smith, Tavares, Turner, Wilson.
Payday Lending:
Catholic Social Justice teachings call us to support efforts that help to assure fair and responsible business practices. Practices that take advantage of the ignorance or hardship of another is a form of stealing.
We believe that Ohio laws should serve the common good by encouraging responsible lending practices. We support regulations on payday lending institutions that help ensure and/or maintain consumer protection and fair and equitable practices.
Payday Lending Information Page
Tax Reform:
Taxation is both an economic and moral issue. We believe there are important questions to be answered.
- Does Ohio’s tax structure adequately protect the poor, vulnerable children, seniors and the disabled?
- Are Ohio’s tax policies sufficiently progressive, intentionally designed to collect more from those with a greater ability to pay?
- Is Ohio’s tax code fair to all taxpayers?
- Do our tax policies serve the common good of Ohioans?
The Ohio Bishops support tax reform that is fair, raises adequate revenues, is progressive, and mitigates the impact on persons with fixed and low incomes.
Bishops' Statements:
Fair and Adequate Tax Reform - May 21, 2004
Minimum Wage
Work has a special place in Catholic social thought: work is more than just a job; it is a reflection of our human dignity, and a way to contribute to the common good. Most importantly, it is the ordinary way people meet their material needs and community obligations.
In Catholic teaching, the principle of a living wage is integral to our understanding of human work. Wages must be adequate for workers to provide for themselves and their families in dignity. Although the minimum wage is not a living wage, the Catholic bishops have supported increasing the minimum wage over the decades. The minimum wage needs to be raised to help restore its purchasing power, not just for the goods and services one can buy but for the self-esteem and self-worth it affords the worker.
Ohio Law
In November 2006, Ohio voters passed Issue 2: The Minimum Wage Constitutional Amendment
It raises the Ohio minimum wage to $6.85 an hour by 2007 for most workers with annual cost-of-living-adjustments thereafter.
The 2011 Ohio Minimum Wage is as follows:
- $7.40 per hour for non-tipped employees
- $3.70 per hour for tipped employees (plus tips)
The Ohio Minimum Wage is $7.25 per hour (tied to the federal minimum wage)
for:
- Those employees whose employers gross $271,000 or less per year
- 14 & 15 year olds
Federal Law
On May 25, 2007, President Bush signed into law the first increase in minimum wage in over a decade.
The federal minimum wage has been phased in from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour.
Many states also have minimum wage laws. Where an employee is subject to both the state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages.
Various minimum wage exceptions apply under specific circumstances to workers with disabilities, full-time students, youth under age 20 in their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment, tipped employees and student-learners. three steps over a two year period.
Educational Resources
Living Wage Campaign: Faith based and Community Groups
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops & Minimum Wage