Workers – Theosociologically yours, Dr. Vivencio (Ven) Ballano

1. Mark 10:43-45

“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This passage from the Gospel of Mark is considered the central image of a Christian leader– a suffering servant. A leader who serves his/her constituents rather than being served by them. Leadership in the Christian sense is service for the sake of the Kingdom and self-emptying to empower others.

Under this model, the leader does not seek glory and power for his/her self but to promote and protect the common good even if this entails dying to one’s self and disregarding his/her self-interest.

In Catholic Church’s teaching, doing business is a form of service to God and people–the customers. Its ultimate goal is not really profiteering but serving the public by providing consumers with high-quality goods and services in order that they can enjoy the fruits of God’s creation.

serving we are GIF by Green Valley Community Church

A good and Christian leader must then strive to become a servant of God in the business organization, providing the public with quality goods and services.

As managers, they must not abuse their discretionary powers in the workplace but instead empower others to become servants and leaders too in their respective duties and areas of responsibilities.

2. Philippians 2:3

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves..”

This passage from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians can remind business leaders not to seek selfish ambitions or vain conceit. They must be humble, always conscious that positions of power in the business organization is temporary and meant for service.

Selfish ambition or conceit in the business organization can lead to unhealthy competition, politics, and sidelining of the corporate values just to get ahead of others in the promotion system.

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3. 1 Timothy 3:2

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“Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach…”

This passage reminds business leaders to walk the talk, to witness what they preach in the workplace. A good and Christian leader is one who always provides a good example for others to follow.

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4. Proverbs 27:23-24

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“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.”

Business leaders must not be only conscious about their position of power and authority, of the benefits and rewards they could get if they perform well in the company.

They must, first of all, know the real conditions of their employees in the workplace. They should check whether they are properly remunerated with a just wage by the company.

Corporate productivity is often tied up with the level of satisfaction of the workers with their wage and social benefits.

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5. Isaiah 41:10

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“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

In Church’s teachings, work is connected with one’s spirituality: A leader’s duty and role in the company must be part of his/her spiritual life.

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A Christian leader is one who is always conscious that the work of managing others in the workplace is part of his/her quest for salvation. Sanctification is not only expressed inside the Church but anywhere since God’s presence is everywhere. Thus, if business leaders are always aware of God’s presence in the workplace, he/she would never be fearful in his decisions and actions.

preacher convincing GIF by South Park

GIF Credits: Giphy.com

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The moral standard of the Catholic Social Teaching (CST) for a just wage is not the Minimum wage as prescribed by the government or by the Regional Wage and Productivity Board as in the case of the Philippines, but the Family wage. The following things are important for the employer to consider in determining the wage of the worker: The needs and contribution of the worker and the condition of his/her business.

If a worker is regular or permanent in the company with an employee-employer relationship, s/he deserves a family wage regardless whether s/he has a family or not. The just wage for the Church is one that is able to sustain the personal and family needs of the worker, without requiring the other spouse (if married) to work:

"In the first place, the worker must be paid a wage sufficient to support him [or her] and his [or her] family…It is an intolerable abuse, and to be abolished at all cost, for mothers, on account of the father’s low wage, to be forced to engage in gainful occupations outside the home to the neglect of their proper cares and duties, especially the training of children”(Quadragesimo Anno, n. 71).

The CST’s teaching on just wage is stricter than what the labor law requires. It is even beyond the standards of a living wage which allow both spouses to be employed. In CST, the other spouse, especially the wife, is not required to be employed in order to receive the just wage which must be sufficient to support a family with a normal size. The Church is thinking of the role of the other spouse in child rearing and teaching the children about the Christian way of life. If both spouses are employed to receive the living wage, the moral and human development of the children would be jeopardized as well as the institution of the family as the domestic church in society.

The criteria in formulating the level of wage, for the Church, is not the wage contract, but the actual needs of the worker and his family. It is not what is agreed upon between the employer and employee: “Agreement between the parties is not sufficient to justify morally the amount to be received in wages” (CCC, n. 2434). More often, the wage stipulated in the work contract is lower than what the worker must receive to sustain his personal and family needs. Sometimes this contract is manipulated by the employer to reduce production cost. Written as a contract of adhesion, the worker is sometimes forced to accept and sign the agreement prepared by the employer through their lawyer even if some of its provisions are detrimental to his/her welfare. Agreement between the parties is not sufficient to justify morally the amount to be received in wages:
"A just wage is the legitimate fruit of work… In determining fair pay, both the needs and the contributions of each person must be taken into account. Remuneration for work should guarantee humans the opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for themselves and their family on the material, social, cultural and spiritual level, taking into account the role and the productivity of each, the state of the business, and the common good" (Gaudium et Spes, #67).

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