A Catholic teachers union in the US diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania will appeal to the Holy See Congregation for Education after local Bishop Joseph F. Martino refused to negotiate with it.The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers has threatened to take the case to the highest Vatican tribunal, the Apostolic Signatura, if their appeal to the Congregation is rejected.
The Congregation for Catholic Education will review the case and issue a decision that could uphold or overrule Bishop Martino's refusal to recognise the teachers union as a collective bargaining unit, union President Michael Milz told the paper.
If the congregation sides with the diocese, then the union will appeal to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, often called the Supreme Court of the Church, said Rita Schwartz, president of the National Association of Catholic School Teachers.
"Bishop Martino, we think so clearly violated the law of the Church," she said.
In January, the diocese announced that it would not recognise the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers, and instead it has implemented an employee relations program.
Mr Milz said there was no timeline for the decision or possible hearing at the Vatican.
To follow the official appeal process, union officials wrote to Bishop Martino to ask him to change his decision shortly after it was announced. He replied that his decision was final, so now all information has been forwarded to Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Mr Milz said.
The appeal to the Vatican is just one of several steps to pressure Bishop Martino into recognising the union, Mr Milz said.
"We're leaving no stone unturned," he added.
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