Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

1 Basic Rights of Worker

right to a just wage (living wage)

2 rights of workers

right to rest

3 right

right to a safe workplace

4 right

right that one’s personality should be safeguarded

5 right

right to appropriate subsidies to aid unemployed

6 right

right to pension and insurance

7 right

right to social security connected with maternity leave

8 right

right to assemble and form associations

9 right

right to strike

Rerum novarum

on capital and labor

who wrote rerum novarum?

pope Leo XIII in 1891

What did rerum novarum focus on?

teaching on conditions of labor and negative effets of Industrial Revolution on workers

-solution to abuse of workers was to outline rights of workers buissness must follow

-private property is God-Given right

Defrauding a worker of his/her pay is on same moral plane as murder

Karl Marx and communism

eliminate private property and transfer to state

Referred to religion as opiate of pep -taught workers to accept their condition (reward will be in the afterlife)

Catholic Church supports principles

gov’t intervention to support workers rights (must follow common good)

Role of business

right to earn a profit capitalism but not at expense of workers rights or dignity of work (unchecked/unbridled capitalism is seen as inherently destructive/immoral)

-capitalism with reasonable gov’t regulation

What must the economy do?

Economy must be evaluated and judged by how most vulnerable and margalized are treated (poorest of poor)

Economy exist for people, not pep for economy

Universial destination of goods - all creation and its fruits are intended for everyone

-subjective dimension of work is most important (meaning, fulfillment, purpose, creativity)