Amid unprecedented protests in the state of Wisconsin over Republican
Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to sharply limit bargaining rights for
union employees, the state’s Catholic bishops underscored the “moral
obligation” of protecting workers' rights and called for lawmakers to
carefully evaluate the difficult situation.
John Huebscher, executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic
Conference, said the recent protests – which have drawn tens of
thousands to the capitol building in Madison and have spanned over four
days as of Friday – are unlike anything he has ever seen.
“I've been working in or around the capitol for 40 years and I can't
remember anything quite like this,” he said in a Feb. 18 interview with
CNA.
Huebscher explained that the controversy began over newly sworn-in
Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget which slashes funding for health
care and pensions for union workers and changes collective bargaining – a
move that “drastically reduces the things workers can bargain over.”
Gov. Walker faces a deficit of $137 million in the current state
budget and the prospect of a $3.6 billion debt within the next two
years.
Opposition to the bill reached a boiling point last week when
Democratic legislators left the capitol, refusing to participate in a
vote on the legislation.
“Under our constitution, you need 20 senators in order to conduct
business and the Republicans only have 19 senators,” Huebscher
explained. “So the Democrats, by not being around, have prevented action
on the bill.”
Although Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee and other bishops
around the state have not spoken in direct opposition to the proposed
budget, they've unequivocally reiterated the importance of protecting
worker's rights in light of the Church's social doctrine.
Archbishop Listecki said in a Feb. 16 statement that even though “the
Church is well aware that difficult economic times call for hard
choices,” current situations “do not nullify the moral obligation each
of us has to respect the legitimate rights of workers.”
The archbishop then quoted Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical “Caritas in
Veritate,” in which the pontiff criticizes governments for limiting the
freedom or negotiating capacity of unions.
He also referenced the late
Pope John Paul II's observation that unions remain a “constructive
factor” of social order and solidarity.
“The bishops are very careful – it's a balanced statement,” Huebscher
said. “Because you support workers or the right of unions to assert and
affirm their interests, (it) doesn't follow that every claim made by
workers is valid.”
Huesbscher also qualified that unions, “just like anybody else, have
to consider the good and make sacrifices.” However, he added, it's “a
mistake to cite hard times as a reason to dismiss or marginalize
unions.”
“The bishops are merely reminding everybody of the teaching of the
Church, over the last century or more, of the dignity of work and the
appropriate place for unions without giving them carte blanche to have
everything they want.”
The executive director noted that ultimately, Gov. Walker's proposed
budget asks legislators to use critical and “prudential” judgment.
“Does the bill serve to marginalize unions? Does this serve to
drastically reduce the ability of worker to articulate and protect their
interests? Those are fair questions to engage.”
Amid speculation that similar budget cuts for union workers are
foreseeable in other states legislatures, Huebscher said “it's no secret
that proposals like this are showing up in other states,” citing Ohio
as an immediate example.
“I think it's a very legitimate point to make that if it's done here it would be done or at least debated in other places.”
Opposition to the proposed budget has continued to swell in Wisconsin
with local schools even canceling classes on Feb. 18 to participate in
the demonstrations.
Huebscher observed that the bill has struck such a chord with
Wisconsin citizens because of its potentially far reaching implications
for public and private employees.
“If the state – as a matter of public policy – can say that workers
are going to be very limited in what they can bargain for, that will
seep into other segments of the economy,” he said.
“I think workers perceive that this is going to effect them – even workers that aren't unionized.”
Huebscher added that there are benefits employees in the state have
today that they didn't have decades ago such as just wages, paid
overtime, 40-hour work weeks and the inability to be fired without due
process.
“There was a time when these things weren't available to people,” he
said, adding that Wisconsin “is one of the first places in the country
to have unemployment compensation and workers compensation.
“There's a sense among working people – that while they don't belong
to a union today – things they have exist today because unions fought
for them. And they're concerned about losing that.”
He said that Wisconsin has a long tradition of integrating and
affirming workers and it “parallels with the development of Catholic
social teaching and the rights of labor.”
Huebscher expressed gratitude that the protests have remained
peaceful thus far, saying that bishops in the state have “urged people
to remain civil, talk to each other, and keep the common good in mind.”