Pope John Paul II was the spiritual force behind the Solidarity labor movement that helped bring Soviet-led communism to its knees in the 1980s, but bishops have struggled with unions operating within the walls of the Catholic Church, especially as lay people–with families to raise and pensions to worry over–replace low paid religious in the classrooms. (Will anyone write memoirs of lay people rapping them on the knuckles like those mean old nuns did? Just doesn’t work dramatically, I think.)

For example, the Vatican has never allowed anything more than a “lay association” that cannot call itself a union to represent its own workers. They say it’s an hoor and service to work for the Holy Father. Yes, but…
Now teachers from 10 New York Catholic high schools who have been at loggerheads with the New York archdiocese since their contract expired last Aug. 31 have voted to authorize a strike during Pope Benedict’s visit. The union representing about 420 teachers in schools from Poughkeepsie to Staten Island, wants the Archdiocese of New York to agree to a new three-year contract with improved pay, pension plan and health benefits, according to Religion New Service and other outlets.
This is a tough call. The teachers deserve much, the church has too little to give–and striking during a papal visit seems to me like it could backfire. In speakin about the pope and the looming strike, Henry Kielkucki, union business manager, told RNS: “This is not against him. It’s so people know what’s going on. It will continue even after he leaves, if we still don’t have a settlement.” Joe Zwliing, the archdiocesan spokesman, wasn’t buying it: “If the teacher’s union does seek to use the occasion of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI…as an occasion of protest and as an occasion of division, I think that’s an insult to Pope Benedict and an insult to the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of New York.”
Tough times make for tough calls. What do you think?