Labor & Employment Law

Prayer and Public Employees

By James Parks

When AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker spoke Sunday at St. Margaret?s & San Francisco de Asis Episcopal Church in Miami Lakes, Fla., as part of Labor in the Pulpits, the service had just begun when a member of the choir slumped down in her chair and fell to the floor.

The service stopped while the clergy and members called 911 for emergency help. Within minutes, fire, police and emergency medical assistance arrived to give the woman medical care. Each one was a union public servant?the people whose jobs are in danger from state and local budget cuts.

After the medics left to take the woman to the hospital, the service resumed. The ministers led prayers for her swift recovery. 

Reflecting on the incident over the Labor Day holiday, Holt Baker said the situation showed that:

Prayer is good and it helps. But sometimes you also need public servants.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on September 08, 2010 (boomark / email).