by Gabriel Catanus
Recently, an activist contacted me on behalf of a workers’ rights organization. One of the unions this organization supports represents several Filipino American factory workers in a nearby suburb, and these workers were upset that their employer was forcing them to work under poor conditions. Also, their collective bargaining agreement had expired and the company was failing to negotiate a new agreement in good faith.
The Filipino American workers were organizing and preparing for a strike; the labor rights activist contacted me in hopes that some Filipino American clergy could come and advocate on their behalf. Complicating matters, I was informed that the company in question produces equipment used by the U.S. military. Therefore, my task was to find fellow clergy who could support these workers and, somewhat ironically, our country’s war efforts. This raised concerns for the workers’ rights organization, just as it would for many pastors.
This situation reminded me that the lines between innocence and guilt are often unclear. Supporting these employees is not as straightforward as advocating for farmworkers, for example. And yet, countless Filipino Americans have enlisted in the U.S. Navy or as healthcare professionals at Veterans Administration hospitals. This country has a long tradition of recruiting vulnerable minorities to work for government agencies and institutions and many of us second generation Filipino Americans have benefited economically and educationally from some level of complicity.
As we celebrate May Day in Chicago, the home of labor unions, let us advocate for workers who strengthen the social fabric and contribute billions in taxes. Let us also call for policies that require billionaires to treat their employees with dignity. Jesus’ harshest words were directed at the richest and most powerful. Because of this, Catholic social teaching has long supported the rights of workers to unionize and protest. Most importantly, let us do our work with grace that makes each of us more just and human. ###
Gabriel J. Catanus (jaycatanus@gmail.com) is the Director of the Filipino American Ministry Initiative (FAMI) at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he teaches theology and ethics. He is also the pastor of Garden City Covenant Church, a congregation serving immigrant families and young professionals. He received his PhD from Loyola University in Chicago, where he lives with his wife and two children.
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