Bishop Joseph F. Martino is not violating civil or church law by refusing to recognize the teachers union of the Diocese of Scranton, the diocese says a Vatican City congregation has ruled.The ruling also means fair labor policies and fair wages can be guaranteed by means other than a union, according to the diocese.
The Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers sought recourse from the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, for Martino’s decision to not recognize the union as a collective bargaining unit.
If the congregation had sided with the union, the diocese could have been forced to change its policy.
In a statement, the diocese announced it was “gratified that the Holy See has affirmed the right of Bishop Martino to make prudential judgments about the most effective means to operate the Catholic schools according to current circumstances in his diocese.”
Meanwhile, the union will now appeal to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura — the Supreme Court of the Church, said Michael Milz, union president.
William Genello, diocesan spokesman, said the bishop had recently received the letter, which was dated Sept. 24 in Rome. Milz said the union has not yet received official notice.
Milz said although he remained hopeful for a different outcome, he was not surprised.
“It’s bishops judging bishops,” he said. “This is par for the course.”
The decision by the congregation “refutes what some people have erroneously charged: that Bishop Martino was violating Church teaching or social doctrine regarding labor unions,” according to the diocese.
In January, the diocese announced it would not recognize the union, and instead has created an employee relations program to address labor concerns.
Teachers are now pushing for state House Bill 2626, which is in the House Labor Relations Committee, which would allow lay teachers and employees at religious schools to decide by a majority vote if they want to be represented by a union.
Unions in religious schools could then bring grievances to the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board — which currently has no jurisdiction over workplace issues in parochial schools.
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(Source: VNA)