Workers' rights and unions have been hot topics in the news lately. The Catholic social tradition clearly supports the dignity of workers and respecting their rights. Specifically, the Church "recognizes the fundamental role played by labor unions, whose existence is connected with the right to form associations or unions to defend vital interests of workers…" (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 305).

Though several articles much like this one -- http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i-uuyg_cknuQUXeX4h-43g... -- have been written, few-if any-reference the rich history of Catholic social teaching on this topic. Help us bring the Catholic voice to this important debate in the public square. When you see an article in your local paper about workers' rights, be sure to submit a letter to the editor that points out the critical importance of human dignity and the rights of workers when discussing this issue. Browse here -- http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1223/t/7573/content.jsp?content_KEY... -- to find contact info for your local paper.