Minnesota archbishop becomes a union buster
Source: National Catholic Reporter
The conservative Archbishop John Nienstedt of St. Paul-Minneapolis is channeling his inner Scott Walker, the controversial, union-busting Republican governor of neighbor Wisconsin. Archbishop Nienstedt is unilaterally terminating the archdiocese's Catholic newspaper union. This really comes as no surprise given the tenor of these Tea Party Catholic times. Instead of working through whatever managerial challenges the archbishop might have had with the 13-member newspaper guild, he just disbands it.
The union, the Newspaper Guild, has represented editorial and advertising employees of the Catholic Spirit, a bimonthly publication of the archdiocese, since 1965. But that relationship is to end next week, when the Spirit's current contract expires.
The 13 union employees have been told the Spirit and most of its employees are being folded into the archdiocesan Office of Communications "to create a more integrated communications function.''
Because the Spirit is an entity of the church, the union can't fight this decision through normal National Labor Relations Board channels.
Read more: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/minnesota-archbishop-becomes-union-buster
Teachings on social justice and worker's rights are for other people, not bishops!
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http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_5268
By Michael Moore, Union Advocate editor
21 June 2012
ST. PAUL - The Twin Cities labor community will rally behind workers at The Catholic Spirit newspaper Sunday, protesting Archbishop John Nienstedt’s decision to strip 13 workers at the archdiocesan publication of their union rights.
The protest will begin at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, June 24, at the Cathedral of St. Paul. It is being organized by the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation and the Minnesota Newspaper Guild, which has represented workers at The Catholic Spirit since 1965.
In an overhaul intended “to create a more integrated communications function,” the Archdiocesan Office of Communications will absorb The Catholic Spirit and some of its 13 workers at the end of this month – but not their union contract.
In negotiations, Guild members asked representatives of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, which publishes The Catholic Spirit, to continue recognition of their bargaining unit voluntarily. The archdiocese denied that request.
FULL story at link.
Minnesota Catholic leaders have gone off the conservative deep end, and they're suffering for it, badly. The marriage amendment is not looking good for them, with the public solidly against it 