I would like to share a few thoughts on why I view the paid sick days campaign as vital for the State of Ohio.
Human beings participate in economic life in many ways, ranging from working and consuming to investing and borrowing. This pervasive aspect of human life is referred to repeatedly in Scripture, and has been addressed often throughout the history of the Church. Economic life is part of God’s creation. From a faith perspective, activities and outcome of economic life are to be accountable to God’s creating, redeeming, and sustaining purposes in the world. God continues the call to address challenges of economic life today from perspectives of the faith we confess and as part of our witness in society.
The Columbus Metropolitan Area Church Council’s understanding of the creative redemptive purposes of God leads us to work with those in other faith bodies, community-based organizations, unions, and public officials, who also affirm the dignity and worth of all persons. Workers should not have to choose between going to work sick and not being paid. Sick days should be part of what is provided in the workplace.
Millions of Ohio workers are locked out of the system of earned paid sick days. Accordingly, members of the faith community, labor organizations, public officials, and community-based organizations, will need to continue to address this important justice issue of paid sick days for workers in businesses with 25 or more employees.
I believe that such involvement is an inescapable part of our fundamental mission responsibility as people of faith. Let us go forward to victory for paid sick days for the workers of Ohio.
Alvin Hadley, Executive Director
Columbus Metropolitan Area Church Council
Posted by SickDaysOhio.org on October 8, 2007
