Pope stresses workers’ voices must be heard, urges unions to adapt to global economy
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WASHINGTON (CNS) — When Pope Benedict XVI released his third encyclical — “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”) — he stressed that the voice of workers must be heard as heads of state, industry moguls, labor union leaders and environmentalists develop long-term solutions for the ailing global economy.
The pope’s encyclical — released in early July — re-emphasizes the Catholic Church’s continuing support of workers associations going back to Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical, “Rerum Novarum,” in 1891, but it also challenges labor union leaders to adapt to a growing global economy to remain relevant.
According to John Carr, executive director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the pope’s encyclical says a healthy economy depends on workers who earn a sustainable wage, receive reliable health benefits and have a safe environment in which to perform their jobs.
“Pope Benedict, like earlier popes, thinks labor unions are a big part of the solution,” Carr told Catholic News Service.
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