Pax Christi USA is proud to have a number of faith leaders in our community signing on to this national letter in support of the PRO-Act which speaks to the vital need for workers to be able to freely organize into unions.
Our Bishop-President, Bishop John Stowe, reflected, “The other day Pope Francis told the International Labor Organization, ‘the protection of workers and the most vulnerable must be guaranteed by respecting their essential rights, including the right to organize.’ Passing the PRO-Act offers a way to do this.”
For decades faith leaders across the nation have witnessed workers being intimidated, harassed and sometimes fired for attempting to unionize. To counteract the gross imbalance of power in U.S. workplaces and to address the alarming income inequality in our country, faith leaders from across the country are calling on the Senate to pass the PRO Act to protect workers’ rights, as the House did in 2020. As our country emerges from the pandemic, clergy are also calling Americans to stand with essential workers, mostly people of color, as they assert their rights for a living wage, a voice in the workplace, and an unencumbered path to enter into the middle class.
The PRO-Act is long overdue in order for U.S. workers to keep pace with their European counterparts. Now is the time for a substantial expression of support to workers who boldly braved the pandemic, resulting in the majority of Americans being kept safe, comfortable, and healthy.
Pax Christi USA faith leaders who signed on include Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv.; Sr. Ruth Battaglia, CSA; Sister Joyce Bell, Roman Catholic, IHM; Fr. Bernard Bonnot; Fr. Harry J Bury, PhD; Bob Cooke; Sister Kathleen Desautels, SP; David Horvath; Rev, Jerry Maynard; Evalee Mickey; Dr. Alexander Mikulich; Friar Joseph Nangle, OFM; Professor David O’Brien; Father Bernard Survil; Sister Sheilamarie Tobbe; Sister Rose Marie Tresp, RSM; and others.
Thank you to all the signers of the national letter (many Catholic). Additionally, the general populace should contact their senators to urge them to pass the Act. It is essential to issues other than salaries–such as the safety of workers and those that they encounter on the job, health regulations, general working conditions, etc.–that the voices of workers be heard. Along the way, the issue of the wealth gap and healthy living conditions may even be affected. Support for the marginalized is essential. Again, thank you! Peace.