Abellanosa: Afraid of labor unions?

I GAVE a talk to a group of educators mostly teaching Social Studies and Religious Education. My talk focused on “justice and peace” as constitutive thrusts of Catholic schools. At the end of my talk, a participant approached me and asked: “Is it right for an employer to discourage their workers from organizing a labor union?”

I could sense that the question has a deeper context. In all honesty, I felt cornered upon hearing the question. As a student and teacher of the social sciences and philosophy, I know very well what in theory the answer to the question should be. However, as a practitioner of Human Resource, there is also a need to approach the matter from a practical point of view.

Let’s make it clear: labor unions are not only legally recognized; they are also morally justified. Organized labor is founded on the natural right of humans to socialize. More importantly, the moral basis of unions is the dignity of labor itself. Employers must be reminded that they don’t own their employees. Employer-employee relations, therefore, must be governed by labor standards that are normatively in accordance with the universally accepted natural rights of human persons. Only dictatorships or tyrannical regimes are afraid of movements that seek to defend the rights of the workers and promote solidarity. The Catholic church no less is not alien to the very principles that promote the dignity of labor.

John XXIII in “Mater et Magistra” (no. 71) says that workers’ remuneration is something that cannot be left to the laws of the marketplace, and “nor should it be a decision left to the will of the more powerful.” The pope is apparently reacting to the liberal view that dogmatizes “capital” as the heart of all human relations between employee and employer. The effect of such view and attitude is none other than the prioritization of income over the rights of workers to a decent wage and just working conditions.

Years later, John Paul II would reaffirm and elaborate his predecessor’s teaching. In “Laborem Exercens” (nos. 6 and 8) the Polish pope says, “Work is in the first place ‘for the worker’ and not the worker ‘for work.’” This is similar to what one philosopher said that “man is his labor” and any attempt to commodify labor is an interference of man’s authentic becoming and connection to his creative capacity.

Precisely, John Paul II speaks of “the priority of labor over capital” which means that labor is the cause of production while capital, or the means of production, is its mere instrument or tool. The subordination of labor to capital is, therefore, a concrete manifestation of lack of respect for human dignity.

However, we shouldn’t also be blind to the fact that there were and are specific instances where unions become irresponsible and abusive. In reality, there are some downsides with a unionized company. This is where and when the issue of unions or unionism becomes a practical rather than an ethical concern. It is thus necessary and important that we view the matter combining realities and norms, justice and compassion, the need to listen but at the same time the will to manage.

The premise of all premises when it comes to the issue of organized labor is none other than the dignity of the laborer. If only this dignity is respected under the conditions of a just working environment then the formation of a union may be a “moral option” but not a necessity. This presupposes of course that management operates not only according to legalities but also in the spirit of conscientiousness for the total well-being of its employees.

I would prefer to interpret the formation of a labor union in a specific work setting as a symptom of a growing discontent coupled with a heightening feeling of injustice. This may be due to perceived inequitable practices that are already embedded in the system. When workers feel emasculated they would look for a way to strengthen themselves. There is truism in the saying “in union there is strength.” An alternative to this is dialogue and a gesture of goodwill on the part of management.

Things like this, of course, are easier said than done. Human dynamics, as always, is complicated. But a good employer would always look after the welfare of its employees. Under the loving care of a compassionate employer, organizing a union may be ethically acceptable but not necessarily an imperative.

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