This labor day, I want to reflect on the Dignity of Work, one of the core principles of Catholic Social Teaching. When people talk about employment justice, I notice a lot of talk about the rights to earn just wages and to form unions. While these are certainly critical pieces to Dignity of Work, there are more pieces to the puzzle. Our employers are not the only ones who are responsible; we as workers should also strive to find dignity in our jobs.
How do you find dignity in your work? When working in a minimum wage job, I sometimes feel undignified—not because I am earning just above minimum wage, but because I feel like the work is meaningless in the big picture. But I am wrong to see any job as meaningless. I can find meaning in any work I do. It’s all about my attitude. Continue reading
