Human Work:

When Humans Collaborate with God

by: Dr. Henry L. Bernardo

Throughout the history of human existence, many decisive events, changes, and
revolutions were determined or influenced by the prevailing working and occupational
conditions. If one will look closely at the different social systems of different eras, one will notice
that those systems represent forms of organizing human work which determine at the same time
the distribution of the economic returns of work. Human work is undoubtedly a very important
factor of social change. In fact, if one will look deeper into the causes of many social revolutions
around the world, it is not surprising to find in most of them a working condition that is
exploitative and inhuman.

Work may be understood as any serious and

Human activity aimed at
purposeful activity that utilizes one's corporal and/or
enhancing and transforming
spiritual powers. In the strictest sense, work may mean
the universe can and must
manual labor, but in the widest sense, it includes all
unleash the perfections which
conscious, serious and purposeful activities of man, so
find their origin and model in
much so that even praying may be considered as work. As
the uncreated Word (CSDC,
a consciously active process, work is a privilege of man and
262).
separates man from animals and machine. Although one
may say that animals and machines can also “do” something and in a way they “work”, their
action is not a product of a serious and conscious process of the activation of the intellectual and
bodily faculties. Among animals, “doing” is simply an instinctive action.

It should also be noted that the end of work is the

realization of the real reason of human being’s existence and of
the world, which is ultimately for the greater honor and glory of
God. Any activity of man that is not in consonance with this idea
goes outside the Christian understanding of work.

Work must be differentiated from play, sports and other

similar activities. Although these activities contain the elements
of consciousness and seriousness, they cannot be considered
“work”. What separates work from play and sports is the
characteristic of work as a conscious and serious orientation to a value which does not lie in the
experience of “doing” itself (i.e. doing the work for the sake of doing it) but is to be reached or
realized transitively and objectively in a way that leads beyond the doing.

A. Characteristics of Human Work

1. Work is Personal
Work cannot be detached from the person of the worker. The person who does the work
is involved in the work not only partly but wholly as a person. The worker’s entire physical
resource, his faculties of intelligence, initiative, energy and will together with his responsibilities
as a person are involved in the work being done. Work, therefore, is an extension, an expression
of the “person” of the worker. As Pope Paul VI says, “a man by his work gives his imprint to it,
acquiring as he does so, perseverance, skill and a spirit of invention” (PP, 27).
 Because of this characteristic of work, it could, therefore, be said that work has a dignity
which is based on the dignity of the worker. If work is an extension of the person, and the worker
as a person has dignity which is equal to the dignity of all other human beings, then every work
has dignity that is equal to the dignity of all the other works being done by other human beings.
The dignity of work comes from the dignity of the person of the worker. The worker himself is
the primary foundation of work, and although we know that we human beings are called and
destined to work, still, work is for man and not man for the work. It is therefore, logical to
conclude that the measure of the value or dignity of work is the dignity of the human subject who
does the work.

Another consequence of this characteristic is

the realization that the condition of work must Being out of work or dependent on
respect the personal character and dignity of the public or private assistance for a
worker. The condition of work should, therefore, prolonged period undermines the
take into consideration the physical resources and freedom and creativity of the person
limitation of the worker, his age, sex, capabilities, and his family and social
talents, etc. The worker must be given enough relationships, causing great
protection and ample time to relax, rest, and psychological and spiritual suffering
perform personal necessities. The worker should (CiV, 25).
also be given the chance to improve integrally, such as intellectually, physically, emotionally, and
spiritually. In this regard, the freedom to exercise one’s faith is an important aspect in respecting
the person of the worker.

2. Work as Necessary
Work is necessary because without it, human being’s self-preservation, the preservation
of the species, and the total development of human life are not possible. St. Paul said: “make it
a point of honor to . . . work with your hands as we directed you to do, so that you will give good
examples to outsiders and want for nothing” (1 Thess. 4:11).

3. Work as the Way to the Self-development of Human Beings

Human beings have the duty to develop
themselves through work. We have a saying that Work is a good thing for man – a
“idle hands and idle minds are Satan’s workshop.” good thing for his humanity –
A human person can develop himself and become a because through work man not only
better human person through work. Being an image transforms nature, adapting it to his
of God, the Creator who is an infinite activity, the own needs, but he also achieves
human person likewise, must work. This is the fulfillment as a human being and
reason why God gave us the capacity to know, to indeed, in a sense, becomes more a
will, and to be creative. Not to use these faculties is human being (LE, 9).
to commit one of the seven capital sins: sloth - an attitude of laziness that abhors doing anything.
It is the exact opposite of work and therefore, a hindrance to self-development of the human
person. Pope John Paul II says that work is a good thing for man. A good thing for his humanity,
because through work man not only transforms nature adapting it to his own needs but he also
achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense becomes more a human being (L.E.,
9).

4. Work as Shaping and Mastering the Earth

Self-development of human beings is not the sole purpose or meaning of work. Work
must also be seen in the wider context in our participation in God’s work of creation. Creation is
not yet finished. It is an on-going process where human beings have a role to play. When God
commanded man “Fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:23), human beings became God’s co-
creators in a world which is in a continuous evolution. Human beings, therefore, since they have
the honor of being guardians of creation and co-workers of God have the duty to continue the
divine work of creation in the service of the Creator in order to bring the whole of creation to
perfection. By carrying out this mission faithfully, man is to serve the plan of the Creator, so that
the name of God would be wonderful in all the earth (GS, 34). Therefore, even the most ordinary
everyday activities of man must be in line with this sublime duty. Whenever men and women
comply with their duties faithfully, they can justly consider that they are unfolding the Creator’s
work, consulting the advantages of their brother men, and contributing by their personal industry
to the realization in history of the divine plan (GS, 34). All the good achievements of the human
race are sharing in the activity of the Creator, manifestations of God’s greatness and the display
of God’s own mysterious design (L.E. 25). Human beings should, therefore, always perform their
duties ad maiorem dei gloriam (for the greater glory of God).

5. Work as Service
Through their work, human beings put
themselves in the service of their brothers and sisters. In Work represents a fundamental
sharing their insights and skills with their fellow human dimension of human existence
beings, they can do a lot to serve the human family and as participation not only in the
to make the conditions of life more favorable (GS, 57). act of creation but also in that of
redemption (CSDC, 263).
It can also be said that work is a commitment for
others because by means of work man commits himself not only for his own sake but also for
others and with others. Each person collaborates in the work for others and for their good. Man
works in order to provide for the needs of his family, his community, his nation and ultimately
all humanity (C.A., 43).

6. The Social Nature of Work

Pope Pius XII considered work as a unifying factor among us because of our nature. Work
brings us together and links us in the accomplishment of even greater task, that of procuring for
the society the goods and services which are necessary or useful to it. In his allocution to farmers
he said “Work unites men for the service of the people in a common effort which tends to the
perfection of one and all to the glory of the Creator and Redeemer . . . In this sense work is capable
by its very nature, of closely uniting men together.”

Work, as a collective effort is a venue for workers to share hopes, aspirations, hardships,
and joy with one another thus drawing men together and uniting their minds, hearts and wills.
With this, human beings find themselves to be brothers and sisters (P.P., 27). Pope John Paul II
says that
In our time, the role of human work is becoming increasingly important as the productive factor
both of non-material and material wealth. Moreover, it is becoming clearer how a person’s work
is naturally interrelated with the work of others (C.A., 31).

7. Work as Union with Christ

Work is also the human being’s means to glorify God and be united with Him. Our
Christian faith teaches us that if we believe in God’s loving providence, then every work or every
profession is a call or an invitation from God, whether it is manual work or intellectual one,
whether it is deemed as important or a subordinate one, whether it corresponds to our
inclinations or lies upon us like a cross. The Paschal mystery of Christ gives meaning to our work.
When man endures “the toil of work in union with Christ crucified for us, man in a way
collaborates with the Son of God for the redemption of humanity. He shows himself a true
disciple of Christ by carrying the cross in his turn every day in the activity that he is called upon
to perform” (L.E., 27). St. Paul also advises us that “Whatever you do whether in speech or in
action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through him (Col. 3:17).
 The teaching of the Church on the value and dignity of work is very well summarized by
Gaudium et Spes # 67:
Human work which is exercised in the production and exchange of goods or in the provision of
economic services surpasses all other elements of economic life, for the latter are only means to
an end. Human work, whether exercised independently or in subordination to another, proceeds
from the human person who as it were impresses his seal on the things of nature and reduces
them to his will. By his work a man ordinarily provides for himself and his family, associates
with others as his brothers, and renders them service; he can exercise genuine charity and be a
partner in the work of bringing divine creation to perfection. Moreover, we believe by faith that
through the homage of work offered to God man is associated with the redemptive work of Jesus
Christ, whose labor with his hands at Nazareth greatly ennobled the dignity of work. This is the
source of every man’s duty to work loyally as well as is right to work; moreover, it is the duty of
society to see to it that, according to the prevailing circumstances, all citizens have the
opportunity of finding employment. Finally, remuneration for work should guarantee man the
opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for himself and his family on the material, social,
cultural, and spiritual level to correspond to the role and the productivity of each, the relevant
economic factors in his employment, and the common good.

B. Work and Capital

The dignity of human work inevitably leads
to the recognition of the pre-eminence of work over On the relationship between labor
capital. Capital is both the earth's resources and all and capital, emphasis must be made
the means invented to help us use and humanize on the priority of the former over the
those resources. From the simplest tools to the most latter. This relationship must be
modern ones -machines, factories, laboratories, and expressed through the workers'
computers- all are the results of human work. Thus, participation in ownership,
the social teaching of the Church highlights the management and profits.
priority of work or labor over capital and teaches
that labor is the cause of production while the capital which is the means of production, is simply
its instrument or tool (Laborem Exercens, 12). Economic systems must therefore respect this
priority of human work (or of the worker) over capital. This teaching obliges employers to
prioritize the welfare of the employees over the increase in profits. The worker must never be treated as
a mere instrument to gain profit nor a commodity to be bought and sold. The employer must
keep in mind that the value of labor is not based on
I would like to remind everyone,
the kind or the result of work being done but on the
especially governments engaged in
fact that the worker is a person with dignity.
boosting the world’s economic and
social assets, that the primary capital
C. Duties of Workers
to be safeguarded and valued is man,
1. The Duty to Work the human person in his or her
All human beings by virtue of their being integrity. -Pope Gregory XVI (CiV, 25)
image of God are obliged to work and are called to
work in order to serve our fellowmen and to cooperate with God in the unfolding of His creation
thus, helping the whole creation move towards its own perfection. Vatican II teaches us that
every man has the duty to work faithfully (GS, 67). Work, in whatever manner of form, is a
universal duty. It is every person’s duty to contribute to the welfare and development of his
fellow human beings and of the society as a whole.

Truly, there are people who possess sufficient wealth so much so that they do not have to
work for their livelihood. This is not bad. Rather, it is good for the society since instead of
working for their own bread, they will have greater time to render services to the Church, do
voluntary works and engage in cultural enterprises. What is important is that they still work for
the sake of other people and of the whole society.

2. The Duty to Prepare Oneself for One’s

Work/Profession
Since work is necessary and significant in the development of the human being and the
society, every individual should, therefore, prepare conscientiously for it. To irresponsibly
prepare for or totally neglect it is a sin against God, oneself, and one’s neighbor. This is especially
true in choosing and preparing for one’s profession or career. Negligence in the acquisition of
the necessary professional skills would eventually result in a substandard service and may inflict
harm to others. Take for example the job of surgeons, pilots, dentists, drivers, etc. Lack of the
necessary knowledge and skill in their chosen profession would be detrimental to themselves, to
other people and eventually, to the whole society.

In line with this, students have the duty to study hard, not only to get high grades but
more importantly to better equip themselves for the kind of job or profession they may choose in
the future.

3. Duties in the Practice of One’s Profession

Every worker has the obligation to work in the best way he can. A person who does his
work badly or carelessly and does not satisfy the reason why he is paid for commits a sin against
justice and charity. The call of justice asks the worker to do what he is being paid for and charity
obliges the worker to see to it that the welfare and needs of those who benefit from the work
being done are met according to what is being expected and in the best way the worker can. In
so doing, the worker expresses his solidarity to the rest of the members of the society, and thus,
contributes to the common good. Pope John Paul II wrote: “Each person collaborates in the work
for others and for their good. Man works in order to provide for the needs of his family, his
community, his nation and ultimately, all humanity” (C.A., 43).

D. Rights of Workers
Workers do not only have duties, they also have inalienable rights that they must enjoy.

1. The Right to Work

Every person has the right to work by virtue of every person’s right to exist and to
support his own existence. Pope John Paul II teaches that “the obligation to earn one’s bread
from the sweat of one’s brow also presumes the right to do so. A society in which this right is
systematically denied, in which economic policies do not allow workers to reach satisfactory
levels of employment, cannot be justified from an ethical point of view, nor can that society attain
social peace” (C.A., 43). Every person has the right to work and this right must be recognized
and defended by leaders of the society. The problem of unemployment that has continuously
become worse day after day and keeps large sectors of the population in a situation of
marginalization must be given enough attention by the authorities and must be resolved in the
soonest possible time.

The leaders of the society have the duty to satisfy the right of its members to have a work
that will support their needs and that of their dependents and to perform their calling to
cooperate with God in the plan of creation. Gaudium et Spes #67 teaches that “it is the duty of
society . . . to help its citizens find opportunities for adequate employment.” Pacem in Terris #64
teaches the same thing: “The government is also required to show no less energy and efficiency
in the matter of providing opportunities for suitable employment, graded to the capacity of the
workers.
 But, on the other hand, although members of the society have the right to demand help
from the government in order to have an adequate employment, human reason tells us that those
who are unemployed cannot demand jobs which are not needed or beyond the economic capacity
and needs of the society especially if the over-all societal economy has no sufficient resources to
provide employment or jobs to all its unemployed citizens. Yet still, the leaders have to do all
they can within the confines of justice and charity in order to promote full employment in the
best possible way for all who have the capacity to work and want to work and most particularly,
for those who need to work in order to survive decently. And if ever those who want and are
able to work and depend on their wage for livelihood cannot be employed, then the community
has the duty to assist them. Assistance may come from richer families or communities and they
should be given without any strings attached and with the spirit of Christian charity and
compassion. Help should also be given in such a way that the receiver retains his dignity as a
person.

This right to work, however, does not give a person the right to demand for a profession
or job that he is not qualified to have nor to demand for a job that a he has learned or was prepared
for if there is no need for the said job.

2. The Right to a Just Wage

A wage is the payment a worker receives for In many cases, poverty results from a
the labor or services rendered. Wages may be violation of the dignity of human work,
classified as just or unjust. A just wage is a fair either because work opportunities are
share or equitable return for the worker’s limited (through unemployment or
contribution to production or for the services underemployment), or because a low
rendered taking into account the worker’s dignity value is put on work and the rights that
as a person, the rights of the family and the flow from it, especially the right to a
universal right to ownership. Just wage appeals to just wage and to the personal
the common good or social justice. This is the securities of the worker and his or her
reason why in many social documents of the family (CiV, 25)
Church, just wage is always one of the important
issues and is often defined in terms of the worthy level of life which the worker deserves to have
by means of his wages. Pope John XXIII describes just wage as:
. . . a wage determined according to criteria of justice. This means, therefore, one sufficient in
proportion to the available resources, to give the worker and his family a standard of living in
keeping with human dignity (P.T.,21).

Recognizing the importance of a just wage in our present society, Pope John Paul II even
makes just wage as the privileged criterion for determining whether a society and its economic
system is just (L.E., 19). He agrees with his predecessor, Pope Pius XII who considered just wage
as one of the most pressing requirements in the social program of the Church (Radio Message,
March 11, 1951).
But how can one say whether a wage is just or not? What are the criteria for a just wage?
The following are the criteria for a just wage based on the official documents of the Church:

a. Enough to support the worker or those under his care.

The worker must be paid a wage sufficient to support him and his family (Q.A., 71). If
this is not possible at present, then social justice demands that changes be introduced as soon as
possible whereby such a wage will be assured to every adult working person. This same criterion
was reiterated by Pope John XXIII in Mater et Magistra #68-72 and in Laborem Exercens of Pope
John Paul II. Two important concepts are involved here: the minimum living wage and the
family wage.
 The idea of a minimum living wage started
with Pope Leo XIII who was very much against the Wealthy owners and all masters of
insufficiency of wages that was widespread during labor should be mindful of this – that
his time. He espoused the idea that there is a to exercise pressure upon the indigent
minimum amount that is necessary for a worker’s and the destitute for the sake of gain,
subsistence and that a wage below that amount and to gather one’s profit out of the
would be unjust. Pope Leo XIII wrote in Rerum need of another, is condemned by all
Novarum “there underlies a dictate of natural laws, human and divine. To defraud
justice more imperious and ancient than any any one of wages that are his due is a
bargain between man and man, namely that wages great crime which cries to the
ought not to be insufficient to support a frugal and avenging anger of Heaven (RN, 17).
well behaved wage earner. If through necessity or
fear of a worse evil the working-man accepts harder conditions because an employer or contractor
will afford no better, he is made the victim of force and injustice.” Living wage, therefore, is not
simply what has been agreed upon between the worker and the employer nor what is being
stipulated in the existing law of the land. It could happen that a worker accepts the wage simply
because he is in a dire need for it. (We have a Filipino saying: “Kapit sa patalim”.) We also know
that what is legally accepted as minimum wage may not necessarily be just.

Another idea related to the concept of a living wage is the family wage. Pope Pius XII
taught that a just wage is that which sustains the worker and his family. The wage of a head of
the family should be able to ensure that the family members who depend on him will be provided
with decent food, clothing, and shelter. In Mater et Magistra #71, Pope John XXIII wrote: “The
norms of justice and equity . . . requires that workers receive a wage sufficient to lead a life worthy
of a human being and to fulfill family responsibilities properly."

b. The state of the business.

The state of the business must also be considered. If
However true it may be that
the business makes profit, the benefits should trickle down
man is destined for work
to the lowest level of workers. Consequently, if the business
and called to it, in the first
is losing and is being forced by market conditions to sell its
place work is for man and
product at a price that brings no profit, then there is
not man for work (LE, 6).
evidently an over-all situation which “deprives workers of
their just wage and forces them under the pinch of necessity to accept a wage less than fair” (Q.A.,
72). Obviously, it is unjust to demand a wage from a business that might cause its own ruin and
negatively affect other fellow workers.

c. The public economic good.

The amount of wage must also consider the public economic good. Wage-scale must be
designed with a view to the possibility of offering to the greatest possible number the opportunity
of getting work and obtaining suitable means of livelihood. In Quadragesimo Anno #74, it is stated
that “the amount of the pay must be adjusted to the public economic good . . . namely, that the
opportunity to work be provided to those who are able and willing to work. This opportunity
depends largely on the wage and salary rate, which can help us as long as it is kept within proper
limits, but which on the other hand can be an obstacle if it exceeds these limits.”

Following the teaching of Quadragesimo Anno, Pope John XXIII added another important
point to these criteria for a just wage, i.e., it is a demand of justice that workers be given the
possibility of being given some share in the enterprise. He wrote:
We must here call attention to the fact that in many countries today, the economic system is such
that large and medium sized productive enterprises achieve rapid growth precisely because they
 finance replacement and plant expansion from their own revenues. Where this is the case, we
believe that such companies should grant to workers some share in the enterprise, especially
where they are paid no more than the minimum wage (M.M.,75).

But a question that one could ask is to which shall we give more priority, the wage of the
worker or the growth of the business? The Church is clear in her teaching that justice for the sake
of the workers should be prioritized. It is not just, nor even permissible to say that the growth or
expansion of the business does not allow justice for the workers to be done, if in fact, this business
or this national economy is being built on violence done to the workers. If the concrete
functioning of the business or the national economy does not allow the workers a just wage, then
the business or the economy must change rather than the worker’s call for their just rights be
suppressed (Antoncich, 1987, p. 94).

To safeguard the wage of the workers from exploitation, Pope John XXIII advised: “Just
as remuneration for work cannot be left entirely to unregulated competition, neither may it be
decided arbitrarily at the will of the more powerful. Rather, in this matter, the norms of justice
and equity should be strictly observed” (MM 71).

Lastly, it is good to note that the social teaching of the Church only lays down the
principles necessary in the existence of a just wage and she leaves it to the professional and
political persons to find the technical solutions to the present wage problems.

3. The Right to Protection and Social Security

Another important right of the workers is the right to protection and social security. In
Pacem in Terris #11, Pope John XXIII wrote about this right and said that a human being has the
right to be looked after in the event of ill-health, disability due to his work, widowhood, old age,
enforced unemployment, or whenever through no fault of his own he is deprived of the means
of livelihood. The state authorities have the duty to see to it that those who cannot anymore take
care of themselves be taken cared of. There are four common general categories of social
insurance - old age; invalid and survivor’s insurance; health and maternity insurance, and
unemployment insurance. It is the duty of the state authorities to provide for instances of
misfortune, such as sickness, accident, disability, and unemployment. But STC does not require
that all these insurance be shouldered, owned, and managed by the state. Private employers and
corporations must do their share and the state must supervise the insurance system and
supplement what the private sector is unable to provide.

But very often, insurance programs are not available equally to all the members of the
society, for example, to the farmers with their lower income and other low income workers. Face
to face with this reality, the Church teaches that “insurance programs that are established for the
general public should not differ markedly whatever be the economic sector in which the
individuals work or the source of their income.” (M.M.,135) This system of social insurance
should also be a way of redistributing the income of a nation so as to reduce the imbalances
among different classes of citizens.

Regarding the protection of workers, particularly in terms of the labor conditions, the
Church teaches that efforts should be exerted, more importantly, from the side of the state
authorities to make sure that there is a protection of the worker’s person, life, and health by
regulations concerning the work place. State authorities should ensure that employers provide
safety measures against any hazards to health and life of the workers at the workplace. Workers
also have the right to be protected not only from physical harm but equally, from religious and
moral harm. They should be given the chance to practice their own faith and be granted adequate
periods of free time to attend to their religious obligations and to renew their energy. Also, no
work should be imposed upon the worker which is immoderate and beyond the hours that
human strength can endure. Likewise, no work which is incompatible with the worker’s sex and
age should be demanded from the worker.

In Laborem Exercens #7-19, Pope John Paul II emphasized that this basic rights of workers
and their families must always be protected and respected, and if ever they are threatened, the
state must intervene and secure them. He also reiterated the Church’s teaching on the dignity of
the human person which is the basis for all these rights when he taught that technical, economic,
and financial factors have to be subordinated to the human person and that industrialists,
managers and executives must see in the worker more than an accessory to a machine or a factor
in production. He also gave more concrete guidelines based on the Church’s teaching by
categorically giving the following pronouncements:
a. social benefits should cover the health care, especially in the case of accidents at
work and medical assistance should be easily available to workers if possible, cheap
or even free of charge;
b. workers have the right to a pension and to insurance for old age and in case of
accidents at work;
c. the right to rest involves a regular weekly rest comprising at least Sunday, and also
a larger period of rest, namely, the holiday or vacation taken once a year or possibly
in general shorter periods during the year;
d. workers should also be given the chance to cultivate their own potentials for their
own professional growth and development (LE 19).

4. The Right of Children not to be Compelled to Work

Children have the right not to be compelled to work. They must be freed from
incorporation into the working process before they have sufficiently matured in body, mind and
spirit.

Child labor is one of the many problems in our society today. It is not just a social issue
but also a moral issue. The Catechism of Catholic Church states that “child labor, in its intolerable
forms, constitutes a kind of violence that is less obvious than others but it is not for this reason
any less terrible” (CCC, 639). Children are not supposed to be forced to work for their living.
They are supposed to be taken cared of and allowed to enjoy their childhood. Instead, child labor
deprives them of their rights and takes advantage of their weakness. The Catholic Church
considers child labor as a serious disrespect not only of the rights of the children but also of their
dignity as children of God. Pope Francis, in his speech at the Vatican during the celebration of
World Day Against Child Labor on June 12, 2013 stated that “All children must be able to play,
study, pray and grow, in their families, this in a harmonic context, in love and serenity but these
people instead of playing are slaves, and this is a plague. This is their right and our duty. A serene
childhood allows children to look with confidence towards life and tomorrow. Woe to those who
stifle them in their joyful enthusiasm of hope!"

The International Labor Organization (ILO) defines child labor as the “work that
deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to
physical and mental development”. The ILO provides the following facts and figures on the
global situation of child labor (ILO, 2017):
• Worldwide 218 million children between 5 and 17 years are in employment. Among
them, 152 million are victims of child labor; almost half of them, 73 million, work in
hazardous child labor.
• In absolute terms, almost half of child labor (72.1 million) is to be found in Africa; 62.1
million in the Asia and the Pacific; 10.7 million in the Americas; 1.2 million in the Arab
 States and 5.5 million in Europe and Central Asia.
• Almost half of all 152 million children
victims of child labor are aged 5-11 years;
42 million (28%) are 12-14 years old; and 37
million (24%) are 15-17 years old.
• 58% of all children in child labor and 62%
of all children in hazardous work are boys.
Boys appear to face a greater risk of child
labor than girls, but this may also be a
reflection of an under-reporting of girls’
work, particularly in domestic child labor.
• Child labor is concentrated primarily in
agriculture (71%), which includes fishing, forestry, livestock herding and aquaculture,
and comprises both subsistence and commercial farming; 17% in Services; and 12% in
the Industrial sector, including mining.

Most of the time they face dangerous and abusive situations and receive meager salaries.
They risk the dangers of contracting diseases, malnutrition, separation from family, lack of
education, and even death. Poverty is often blamed as the root cause of child labor. Children
work in order to help their parents earn money for the family. It is not wrong to ask children to
help in the upkeep of the family, but it should be done in such a way that the rights and safety of
children are not compromised.
To clarify what may be considered child labor and what is not, the ILO provides the
following descriptions that differentiate child labor from child work.

Child Labor Child Work

The Philippine Statistics
Authority reported in 2015 that there
are 2.1 million child laborers aged 5-
17 years old in the Philippines. About
95% of them work in hazardous
situations. Filipino child laborers
mostly work in farms and
plantations, in dangerous mines, on
streets, in factories, and in private
homes as child domestic workers.
5. The Rights of Women
The work force of our country
includes not only men but also
women workers. Women workers
comprise 39% of our total work-force.
While we consider ourselves
modernized, highly literate and
informed, yet, discrimination against
women still exists in our society. Yes,
we already had two women
presidents but still, unequal
treatment of women can be observed
in many social activities, most
especially in job-related situations.
• Work burdens the child; too
heavy for child's age and
capabilities
• Child works unsupervised or
supervised by abusive adults
• Very long hours of work; child
has limited or no time for
school, play or rest
• Workplace poses hazards to
child's health and life
• Child is subject to
psychological, verbal, or
physical/sexual abuse
• Child is forced by
circumstances or by coercive
individuals to work
• Limited or no positive rewards
for the child
• Child's work is excluded from
legislation, social security and
benefits
• Child's work is used for
exploitative, subversive or
clandestine operations or
disguised illegal activities
• Work is appropriate to child's
age and mental capabilities
• Supervised by responsible and
caring adults
• Limited hours of work; does not
hinder the child from going to
school, playing or resting
• Workplace is kept safe and
child friendly, does not pose
hazards to health and life of the
child
• Child's physical, emotional and
mental well-being are
nourished even in the work
environment
• Child works voluntarily to
participate in the family
responsibility of maintaining
the household
• Child is justly compensated
materially and psychologically
• Child's work is regulated by law
or governed by
family/community norms and
values
• Child's work serves as a
vehicle for social advancement
and improvement in the child's
quality of life
 Based on a study conducted by the Institute of Labor Studies, women do not receive the
same treatment and job opportunity than their male counterpart. The same institute also reported
that for every peso that men receive, women receive only 37 cents. The National Statistics Office
gave a similar report and estimated that for every peso received by men, women received only
45 cents.

The Church does not agree to this kind of discrimination against women. First of all, the
Church acknowledges the special contribution of women in different spheres of life. In Gaudium
et Spes #60 it is written:
At present women are involved in nearly all spheres of life: they ought to be permitted to play
their part fully according to their own particular nature. It is up to everyone to see to it that
woman’s specific and necessary participation in cultural life be acknowledged and fostered.

The Church promotes the dignity of women. She teaches that men and women should
be protected, respected and promoted equally. Women must be given the same freedom and
dignity as that of men and they should be given the same right and opportunity in the cultural,
economic, social and political sphere.

Cognizant of the significant role of women in our society, Pope John Paul II wrote in
Laborem Exercens:

It is a fact that in many societies women work in nearly every sector of life. But it is fitting that
they should be able to fulfill their tasks in accordance with their own nature, without being
discriminated against and without being excluded from jobs for which they are capable, but also
without lack of respect for their family aspirations and for their specific role in contributing,
together with men, to the good of society. The true advancement of women requires that labor
should be structured in such a way that women do not have to pay for their advancement by
abandoning what is specific to them and at the expense of the family, in which women as mothers
have an irreplaceable role (L.E., 92).

6. The Rights of the Migrant Workers

Poverty and the lack of job

opportunities are the two common reasons why
Filipino workers work abroad even at the risk
of suffering from abuses, discrimination and
maltreatment, not to mention the emotional and
psychological difficulty of being away from
one’s loved ones.
It is believed that the first group of
Filipino migrant workers was a group of 15
Ilocanos who went to a sugar cane plantation in
the United States in the year 1906. In a survey
on overseas Filipinos (SOF) administered by the
administered by the Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) from April to September 2018
(PSA, 2019), the following were reported:
• the number of OFWs at any time
during the reference period was
estimated at 2.3 million.
 • there were more female OFWs (55.8 percent) than male OFWs (44.2 percent). On the
other hand, the largest proportion of OFWs belonged to the age group 30 to 34 years
old comprising 23.7 percent of all OFWs, followed by those aged 25 to 29 years old
with 20.0 percent.
• Saudi Arabia was the leading country of destination among OFWs (24.3 percent).
Other popular destinations were United Arab Emirates (15.7 percent), Hong Kong (6.3
percent), Kuwait (5.7 percent), Taiwan (5.5 percent), and Qatar (5.2 percent).
• The total remittance sent by OFWs during the period April to September 2018 was
estimated at Php 235.9 billion. These remittances included cash sent home (Php 169.4
billion), cash brought home (Php 55.2 billion), and remittances in kind (Php 11.2
billion).

Our government leaders acknowledge the OFW’s immense contribution to our economy
through the remittances they send for their families. They also help lessen the number of
unemployed in our country.

The Church acknowledges and upholds the right of every citizen to leave his native land
and look for a better life or source of livelihood in a foreign country. But nevertheless, the
Church insists that everything must be done
in order to prevent a greater moral harm
. . .indeed every possible effort should be
made to ensure that it may bring benefit to
the emigrant’s personal, family and social
life, both for the country to which he goes and
the country which he leaves. In this area
much depends on just legislation, in
particular with regard to the rights of
workers. It is obvious that the question of just
legislation enters into the context of the
present considerations, especially from the
point of view of these rights. . . The most
important thing is that the person working
away from his native land. . . should not be
placed at a disadvantage in comparison with
the other workers in that society in the matter
of working rights. . . The value of work
should be measured by the same standard
and not according to the difference in
nationality, religion or race (L.E., 23).

In a pastoral letter entitled: “Comfort My People, Comfort Them,” the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) reiterated the right of Filipino migrant workers, be they
legal or illegal, to be given protection by the Philippine government from maltreatment and
abuses in foreign land. The bishops reminded the Philippine government, particularly its
embassies abroad, of its duty to protect the migrant workers from illegal recruiters and to see to
it that the basic human rights of our fellow Filipinos abroad are respected and protected.

7. The Right To Organize Trade Unions

The right to organize or be a member of a trade or labor union is derived from the
fundamental right of man to free association. Trade unions are voluntary organizations of workers
for the protection of their rights. Basically, trade unions are organized to solve labor disputes
more effectively in the interest of the workers through the settlement of just and fair working
conditions in collective bargaining with the employers and their associations. The bargaining is
usually concerned with agreements about just wage, working hours, breaks, holidays, sick leave,
length of notice and other issues concerning the workplace, and employer-employee relationship.
As an instrument for the defense of the right of the workers, history shows that trade unions had
been very effective that capitalists tried, even until now, with all the power they have, to deny
this right of the worker to the extent that some companies threaten their employees with
termination of contract or expulsion if ever they involve themselves in unions. But the Catholic
Church highly supports trade unions and even considers them as the most important association
for mutual aid and social assistance (R.N., 50). Trade unions are indeed necessary in order to
meet the needs and protect the rights of the working class. The second Vatican Council reiterates
this right when it teaches that:

The right of freely founding labor unions must be counted among the basic rights of the
human person. These unions should be truly able to represent the workers and to contribute to
the proper arrangement of economic life. Another such right is that of taking part freely in the
activity of these unions without risk of reprisal. Through this sort of orderly participation, joined
with an on-going formation in economic and social matters, all will grow day by day in the
awareness of their own function and responsibility (GS, 68).

In Laborem Exercens #20, Pope John Paul II provides a more profound discussion on the
nature of trade unions. According to him, unions are indispensable for justice to exist in the
society and that history teaches us that organizations of this type are indispensable elements of
social life, especially in modern industrialized societies. They serve as the mouthpiece of the
workers in defense of their rights.

However, the Church warns against the danger that

trade unions’ rise to power may entail. They may be tempted The Catholic Church highly
to abuse their strength and power. The Church’s teaching is supports trade unions and
strong in saying that trade unions should not pursue party even considers them as the
politics. This not the reason for the existence of trade unions. workers’ most important
Partisan politics is for political parties and not for trade association for mutual aid
unions. Nor should they allow themselves be under the and social assistance.
influence of any political party or be closely linked to any of
them or else they risk the danger of being identified with a political party. The worse that may
happen is they might lose the contact with their own specific role which is the defense of the
economic rights of workers and defense and upliftment of their religious, moral, and political
freedom.

a. Duties of Trade Unions

Generally, there are three major duties of trade unions.
i. Trade unions must consider the general economic interest and the state of their branch of
industry when making wage claims. They should not press for wage increases that
would damage the common good and negatively affect the welfare and rights of other
members of the society particularly those who are more vulnerable.
ii. It has to be emphasized that trade unions are voluntary organizations. Because of this,
trade unions rest upon the will of their members. It is very important that members
are given opportunities to express their opinions and will within the union. The
leaders, therefore, should see to it that internal democracy exists within the union. No
union should be led by a dictatorial or oligarchic leader.
iii. Trade union members should be adequately informed and prepared in their role and
responsibilities to the over-all welfare of the society. Trade unions possess influential
powers that could influence social policies and that could even extend to political
affairs. This entails greater responsibility on the part of the trade unions to be potent
 factors for the development of social, political, cultural, and economic aspects of the
society.

It could be said that trade unions are necessary corrective measures to social and
managerial policies that are devoted purely to profit, regardless of the interests of the workers.
There can be a substantial imbalance of economic power between an isolated individual
employee and a large employer, and this imbalance cannot be corrected merely by the fact that
the employee has entered into a contract with the employers. In fact, contracts between unequal
parties are common causes of structural injustice. It is here that trade unions should provide the
necessary “check and balance” and promote the welfare of the workers.

8. The Right To Go On Strike

To go on strike is one of the rights of the workers. A A strike nevertheless can
strike is a refusal to work on the part of the organized workers. remain even in present-day
In itself, a strike is a powerful weapon of trade unions in their circumstances a necessary,
struggle with employers particularly when, in the course of though ultimate, aid for the
collective bargaining, the workers’ group cannot obtain the defense of the workers’ own
rightful conditions that they desire. rights and the fulfillment of
their just desires (GS, 68).
As a rule, Pope Leo XIII advises that strikes must be
avoided as much as possible for they “hurt employers and
employees alike, do harm to trade and damage the general public interest, bringing violence and
disorder close and endangering peace. Everybody should be seeking a remedy” (R.N.,40).
However, he too accepts the indispensability and legitimacy of strikes in some cases. He teaches
that a strike, when it has satisfied all the conditions for its legitimacy, is in consonance with the
Church’s social teaching.

Vatican Council II also acknowledges the right of the workers to strike. In Gaudium et Spes
#68 it is written that
When, however, socio-economic disputes arise, efforts must be made to come to a peaceful
settlement. Recourse must always be had first to a sincere dialogue between the parties, a strike,
nevertheless, can remain even in present day circumstances a necessary, though ultimate, aid for
the defense of the workers’ own rights and the fulfillment of their just desires. As soon as
possible, however, ways should be sought to resume negotiation and the discussion of
reconciliation.

In Laborem Exercens #20, Pope John Paul II stated that the Catholic Church recognizes
strike as a method that may be used by the workers’ groups but it must satisfy the proper
conditions and be within just limits.

a. Basis of the right to strike

This right to strike is based on two natural rights of a human person:
i.The freedom of man to work or not to work. No human person is obliged to work if
the conditions surrounding the work or the events attached to it are not acceptable to
the person himself.
ii. The freedom of combination for the purpose of all aims which do not conflict with
the common good. After all peaceful means have been tried and exhausted, a strike
can be an indispensable means for the workers to attain what is justly due to them.

b. Conditions for Strike to be Morally Permissible

A strike, though it is a right, cannot be staged anytime, anywhere, and for whatever
reason. For a strike to be morally permissible, it has to satisfy several conditions.

i. Objective is morally acceptable. The objective for which the strike is being staged must
be lawful or morally acceptable. The cause must be a just cause. Strikers cannot go
on strike if their demands are immoral. It has to be pointed out that what is immoral
does not necessarily mean illegal nor what is legal is automatically moral. There might
be instances when workers have to rightfully and justly fight against a legal but
immoral law or policy.
ii. Morally acceptable and proportionate means. The means to be used must be morally
acceptable and proportionate to the objective pursued. The more harmful the effects
of the strike are, the graver the reason for the strike must be. The participants of the
strike must see to it that the strike will not cause greater damages to the welfare of the
people than the benefits that will be achieved from it. An example is the sudden strike
of medical doctors asking for a higher fee in a hospital without considering the welfare
of the patients in that hospital and therefore, endangering their lives. Such strike
cannot be morally permissible. Similarly, the means employed must be morally
acceptable. The end does not justify the means. Even if the demands are just and
morally valid, strikers cannot directly do immoral acts just to obtain them.
iii. No other peaceful means left. All other peaceful means to settle the dispute and solve
the problem must have been tried and exhausted. The strike should be the last resort,
i.e. if there is no other means left to the workers to obtain their just demands.