The Brooklyn diocese is having a unionized teacher problem. It’s been by the state labor board for engaging in unfair labor practices against the union representing parochial school teachers. Check out how the New York Times puts it:
The impasse in the Brooklyn Diocese, where about 145 other Catholic schools remain without a union, presents a problem for a church with a tradition of social justice teachings that uphold not only the right to unionize, but also an employer’s duty to pay a just wage. Those ideals are bumping up uncomfortably against the economic realities of declining enrollments, shrinking budgets and closings.
Does Catholic teaching, in fact, dictate the right to unionize? What does a “just wage” mean? What we have is liberal dogma coming up against the reality that the Church’s teaching actually contains a lot of prudential judgment.
Do you know what the local catholic school pays its teachers? It’s hilarious to ex-employees, but not current ones. They have no union, natch.
What do you think the local bishop would do if the teachers at the local Catholic (and I use that term lightly) school tried to join the union?