This seminar is entitled “Decent Work for All” and marks the World Day for Decent Work. A range of speakers are planned to reflect the situation faced by the members and their contacts of both movements.Speakers
Mgr Philippe Bordeyne, Rector, Catholic Institute of Paris
Clara Staffa Geoghegan, Exec. Sec. Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
Monday 6 September 2021 10 am BST
Via Zoom
French priest, Pierre Haubtmann was the chief editor of the groundbreaking Vatican II document, Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the World of Today. Next month marks the 50th anniversary of his tragic death in a bushwalking accident on 6 September 1971.
As we look for solutions to returning to a greater post-pandemic economic activity, Pope Francis asks that we avoid any form of discrimination, including “consumerism” or “nationalism”. “We must look for solutions that will help us build a new future of work based on decent and dignified working conditions” always “promoting the common good”.
Migrants, along with other vulnerable workers and their families remain excluded from access to national health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and care programmes, as well as financial protection plans.... this exclusion complicates dealing with COVID-19,
The February 2021 bulletin from the WMCW (World Movement of Christian Workers) is entitled “The fight for justice”The various contributions from MCWs around the globe all reference or attribute their contribution to the definition of Decent Work by the ILO (International Labour Organisation).
Thus, the benchmark for the articles is “Remunerated work carried out in adequate conditions, in a system of freedom, equity and security. Decent Work should let workers and their families lead a decent and healthy life.” The Labours in the Vineyard is drawn upon to emphasise a just wage (Lk10:7) and in addition the explanation that the just wage to the last hour workers gave them dignity (Mt20:1-7). In a similar vein ‘Laborem Exercens’ stressed the social meaning of the just wage for the fruits of the workers’ labour recognised in the ‘Rerum Novarum’ encyclical. Each writer gives prominence to the need for all type of work to be regarded with dignity along with the primary significance of a living wage as being central to the health and welfare of the worker and their families
We Remember Because …
Each and every year we commemorate May Day as it provides a reminder of the struggles that workers have taken to strive for their rights and seek justice for themselves, their families and workers throughout the world.
Regrettably, we also have to mark it as a prompt to continue seeking for rights and justice that have still to be realised. Sadly and shamefully many of the hard won gains that contributed to a better working life in the past, have over the years been overturned or completely undone. At the same time we face new challenges as different ways of working again undermine our dignity, rights and justice.
Whilst May Day 2021 helps to focus our minds on particular worker issues that we now confront it also reminds us of the International dimension. Realities that we experience, perhaps, to different degrees or
David McLoughlin, Emeritus Fellow of Christian Theology, Newman University, Birmingham, talks us through Holy Week, a day-by-day account describes in Mark’s Gospel.
He gives a fresh insight into the events as they unfold by contextualising the social, political, and economic landscape of the time.
The journey is very familiar to many of us but perhaps because of that has become ‘stale’ in our understanding of what is taking place each day and its significance as a whole.
David describes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to His crucifixion on Good Friday. This narrative re-awakens and inspires us not just to remember but to participate anew in this Holy Week and our every week experience. Watch his presentation on our YouTube channel here below.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose to Challenge’.
However, whilst it is the theme for International Women’s Day, the need to challenge addresses not just women but us all; for if women of all ages experience adverse and unjust working conditions, low pay, poverty and violence then it affects, impacts and reflects on us all as workers. As a consequence, it is incumbent on us all for the sake of men, women and children to choose to challenge when and where we can.
Women’s reality as described above is sadly not unusual. See the message written by the Women’s Council of the San Marcos Peasant Workers Movement, Guatemala, on behalf of the WMCW. See WMCW message
Walking through Holy Week with Jesus: The political, economic and religious elements of Holy Week as seen in Mark.
Zoom Conference 13 March 2021
09:45 -13:00
MTC QUÉBEC and the Health Crisis
“Je me Souviens”*, Is the moto of the province of Quebec. “I remember” is such an apt moto for our times. Quebec is a predominately French speaking province in Eastern Canada with some 8.5 million inhabitants. Louise Paré from the Movement of Christian Workers (MTC) of Quebec has written to us to share her reflections of the Pandemic in Quebec as Canada it enters its third day under a 12-hour curfew until at least the end of January 2021.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic we have been reflecting together on this crisis and wish to share some thoughts and actions.The International Specialised Catholic Action Movements (Miacs) represent more than 500 movements around the world with a great diversity of countries, cultures and backgrounds.
The crisis aggravates situations and destabilises.
The pandemic has brutally aggravated pre-existing problems: unemployment, inequalities bet- ween gender, between rich and poor, within and between countries, and domestic violence.
What is the MCW?
We act against injustice and inequality to improve the lives of everyone in society
We use the life of Christ to inspire us to meet the challenges of everyday life. We meet in small groups to share experiences and provoke actions for change. We highlight issues that affect workers and those on the margins of society. We organise seminars on these issues. We are run by volunteers.
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BECOME A MEMBER The MCW does not receive funding from any source other than its members and supporters. The membership fee is a minimum of £12 per person annually
Read more to see how to become A Member
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The MCW is a member of the
World Movement of
Christian Workers
and
European Christian
Worker Movement
