Whereas, The United Methodist Church must look to its own house, too. The same churches, judicatories, agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers and schools that serve, heal and educate also employ;
Whereas, other nations feel the effects of globalization. The internationalization of economics has led to increasing competition for profit and market shares. International competition has become the rationale for the violation of workers' rights and the diminishment of working conditions in many communities of the world. National and local economics have become internationalized so that decision-making bodies are far removed from workers and local communities;
Whereas, workplace injustices do not remain neatly confined to the shop floor. They regularly overflow into our families and neighborhoods. Left to fester, they spawn the urban, suburban and rural pathologies so often attributed to the sins of the individual. Unemployment and underemployment contribute to drug and alcohol abuse, liver disease, domestic violence, divorce, teen pregnancy, racism, sexism, homophobia, militia and gang activity, suicide, homicide, pornography, prostitution, AIDS, etc.;
Whereas, our political system should be more helpful. But soft economics contribute to voter apathy and anti-incumbency fever. Where effective political leadership is most essential, it is often impeded;
Whereas, working people need a church to hear their stories, their songs and their cries, stand with them in struggle and heal broken workplaces. Except for trade unions, there are few institutions available for working people to share their stories much less address their grievances;
Whereas, The Book of Discipline calls upon "the church to recognize the right of all God's children to realize their potential as human beings in relationship with each other...." The most significant human relationships in the lives of Americans exist within the family, the church and the workplace. Unfortunately, the global economy and the structure of many workplaces impede workers from realizing full and even minimal potential;
Whereas, our 1988 General Conference proclaimed that "The General Board of Church and Society and the General Board of Global Ministries in conjunction with Annual Conference and local church leaders, shall sponsor religion and labor programs that: a) study the theological significance of work and employment; and, b) initiate cooperation with workers and labor unions about how best to protect and enhance the rights of all workers, especially those of women, children, and people of color"; and
Whereas, John Wesley felt the Anglican Church served mostly the interests of the aristocracy and the educated privileged. He made a deliberate search for holiness within the poor and working class. He discovered spiritual leadership and founded a loving and wonderful church. The early Methodist Church directly supported the efforts of garment workers, coal miners, farm laborers to better their lives.
Therefore, be it resolved: The 1996 General Conference proclaims the United Methodist Quadrennium of the Worker. The Quadrennium will provide opportunities for our denomination, its boards and commissions, agencies, judicatories, congregations and its faithful to explore the history of our church and its relationship to workers and their struggles for workplace peace and justice. During this Quadrennium, United Methodists will celebrate workers and their economic importance to our community and their contributions to a free and just society. We will explore the new challenges that confront them in an international economy and find ways we can stand with them in their continuing struggles.
Be it further resolved: The General Board of Church and Society and the General Board of Global Ministries be instructed to give priority in programming and funding to the implementation of the actions called for in the Resolution entitled "The Right of Workers" passed at the 1988 General Conference (BOR pp. 369-370).
Be it further resolved: The General Conference calls upon the General Board of Global Ministries in partnership with the General Board of Church and Society to appoint and fund a task force to implement the call of the 1988 resolution and organize The Quadrennium of the Worker and subsequent ministries. This tast force will consist of no more than nine people, including both clergy and laity. This task force will coordinate the research of old hymns and composition of new hymns, prayer, liturgy, lectionary, sermon material and Sunday school curricula. The Quadrennium task force will develop special materials to assist our efforts to recognize Labor Day, Workers' Memorial Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday and other celebrations of working people. The General Conference will call upon other General Boards and Commissions and seminaries to assist this effort. The task force will also explore and recommend denominational procedures to listen to working people and serve them directly.
Be it further resolved: The General Conference will call each judicatory and congregation to explore and develop their own ministries to working people. The General Board of Global Ministries and General Board of Church and Society will assist these local efforts to:
-- Identify working people in congregations and, in the best tradition of Wesleyan inclusiveness, design procedures to hear their stories, survey their needs, affirm their diverse gifts and nurture their leadership skills;
-- Encourage regular dialogue with local organized labor communities and reach out to unorganized workers;
-- Advocate for the economic, social, political and spiritual interests of workers within judicatories; and
-- Be in special community with local workers and management during grievances, organizing efforts, contract negotiations, a strike or plant closing.
Be it further resolved: Our denomination, its boards, commissions, agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, seminaries and other higher education institutions employ many workers. We will commit ourselves to be model employers. To this end, we will:
-- Listen to the stories or our employees and respond to their grievances;
-- Encourage, not impede, their efforts to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining; and
-- Develop and distribute written guidelines for behavior within the church, its judicatories and its agencies when confronted with organizing efforts.
Be it finally resolved: The General Conference recognizes that these ministries alone will not solve the crisis in America's workplaces. Each United Methodist must make a personal commitment to join the struggle. We worship the Carpenter and admire the wisdom of John Wesley. Both served working people. United Methodists are well positioned to serve working people. We are workers, bosses, farmers, shoppers, preachers, educators, administrators, corporate officers, doctors, bankers, stockholders and consumers. Embracing the spirit and implementing the call of The Quadrennium of the Worker, United Methodists can help working people realize their full potential and find justice, peace and wholeness within America's workplaces. Our actions will enable our denomination and its faithful to proclaim how sacred is the workplace, how holy are its workers, and that wherever there is a United Methodist church, there is a church that loves them.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 20236-GJ-NonDis-O$
1996 United Methodist General Conference