In the last column, “The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers” was introduced as a theme of Catholic social teaching. In this column, we’ll look at two particular aspects of this theme — namely, protecting the rights of workers and what this theme means for consumers.

 

The Church has long seen that Christians should work to ensure that rights are protected in policy and law. 

 

For workers, this can mean that basic expectations should always be met. For example, safe working conditions, reasonable working hours, and just compensation in the form of wages, salaries or benefits given the nature of the work that is done. 

 

This does not mean that every job should be compensated the same way, nor does it mean that no one should ever work more than 40 hours a week, simply that due consideration be given when such decisions are made. 

 

It comes down to the fact that a worker is always to be treated as a person, not simply as a functionary or manufacturer. Our true value comes from our personhood, not our productivity. 

 

Ensuring that these and other considerations are actually realized and protected can take any number of different forms. Advocacy for appropriate compensation or working conditions in the form of legislation is certainly one way. Forming unions might be another. 

 

The Church would even support workers striking under certain conditions if it could be reasonably expected to help advance or secure basic rights. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church mentions all of these things in its section dealing with Economic Activity and Social Justice (2426-2436). 

 

However, the Church does not give carte blanche approval to such things as though all strikes, unions and political advocacy were created equal or help advance a notion of human dignity in the work place. Just as she says that such actions can be acceptable means of securing or preserving worker rights, so too she notes that they can be used in ways which are detrimental to human dignity or cease to be about the workers themselves. For example, strikes that involve violence or are motivated by a desire to cause harm would be seen as completely unacceptable.

 

The other part of this theme that we’ll examine briefly is what it means for us as consumers. Our consumption of goods and our economic activity in general can either be a way in which we strive to live this theme or a way in which we fail to live it well. 

 

Most of us are familiar with the dangers of materialism and consumerism — they are certainly themes that the Church has often spoken about. Whereas materialism stems from a desire to seek one’s meaning, happiness or satisfaction from the things that one possesses, consumerism is more about the way we spend money or our attitude in spending it. Often these two things go hand in hand with one leading to the other. 

 

While there is nothing wrong with owning things or with being a consumer of goods, the manner in which we do these things can be where the moral responsibility is found. In the context of this theme, we need to ask ourselves how our being a consumer, or the things we own, affect those involved in producing or selling them. 

 

Am I being wasteful as a consumer? Are my spending habits actually supportive of the rights of workers? Or might they be, in some way, fueling an economic machine where the exploitation of workers becomes more likely? 

 

These are difficult questions to even begin to try and answer. And often we may have little or no control despite our best efforts. Nevertheless, being aware of these things and at least thinking through them and attempting to make responsible decisions as consumers is something that each of us can do to demonstrate our desire to live this theme of Catholic social teaching.