Reverend J. Herbert Nelson Joins Hundreds of
Striking Low-Wage Federal Contract Workers to Welcome Pope Francis and
Call for a Living Wage
Washington DC- On Tuesday at 10:30 am, the Reverend J.
Herbert Nelson, Director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) Office of PublicWitness, joined federal contract workers who walked off their jobs to protest
poverty pay and to welcome Pope Francis and his commitment to economic justice
and the working poor.
The U.S Senate contract employees
joined hundreds of striking workers from the U.S. Capitol, Pentagon,
Smithsonian Institution and other federal landmarks, where private companies
receive lucrative contracts to run food service, provide janitorial services,
and much more. Today,
the federal government awards contracts to the lowest bidder, making the government the largest low-wage
job creator in the country, funding over 2 million low wage jobs through
contracts, loans, and grants to private businesses. Taxpayer dollars should
create good jobs that pay workers livable wages, provide benefits, paid sick
leave, and dignity in the workplace.
Of the Prayer Action, Reverend Nelson said:
"It
is imperative that we challenge our government to be an example of valuing all
work by paying these government contract workers a wage that keeps them out of
poverty. It is shameful that our elected officials lack the will to raise wages
for these workers who clean their offices and serve their food. I am standing
with these workers on behalf of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General
Assembly, because the Church is called to affirm the worth and dignity of
people in the workforce. People should be paid a livable wage for the work that
they do."
Reverend
Nelson was joined in his solidarity with low-wage workers by several other
religious leaders who lifted up the struggle of Senate workers who feed our
elected representatives but must feed their children with food stamps. Reverend
Michael Livingston, Executive Minister of Riverside Church said he was “honored and humbled to pray and stand
with striking government workers who serve our senators and congress persons
and who yet don’t make enough money to support themselves and their
families.” Jim Winkler, General Secretary
of the National Council of
Churches echoed that sentiment in saying “this is a wonderful welcome for
the Pope. Our prayer is that he will lift up the plight of workers and that
he’ll become aware of the situation facing low wage federal workers. We wish to
thank him for his teachings on economic justice.”
This strike is part of a new labor movement, a movement that
is made up of low wage service sector workers, and a movement with new tactics.
Just like the
thousands of fast food worker who are calling for better pay, benefits, and
working conditions, federal contract workers say they need “More than the Minimum” to survive.
Federal jobs should be good jobs, and the momentum around Pope Francis’s
visit can help build the political will to make those good jobs a reality.
