WORLD DAY FOR DECENT WORK - 7 OCTOBER 2023 LABOUR SITUATION AND THE NICARAGUAN
“Decent work is productive work that provides fair income, rights, social protection and supports sustainable economic growth. It is a source of dignity and the foundation of peace, social justice, greater equality”, this is what we find on the ILO website. This year, Nicaragua is witnessing the reality experienced by its population on this subject. Following them, we invite all movements to seize this day to take up this question.
The country is experiencing a strifling and distressing overview for the Economically Active Population (EAP) who aspires to have a decent work and fair wages which fulfills all the basic needs and the expectations that an average family can have in Nicaragua.
At this moment, the economically active population of the country is 3.6 millions of people of which only a quarter part of it has a formal job, the rest of population is underemployed or has an informal job from which they earn some income to support their families.
In general, the population recognises that the lack of employment is the main problem facing Nicaragua.
INFOR February 2022: "Global Inequalities and Unemployment
Describing the reality about the issue «Global inequalities and unemployment» is a great challenge, since the situations around the world are so diverse and varied. Despite the tiredness, the anxiety of tomorrow, the privations, men and women still find energy to involve in the community life, to join social, trade union or political organizations. Driven by a deep faith in humanity, these workers fight together to claim, particularly to governments, rights for a greater justice and social protection.
It is from this reality, around the issue «Global inequalities and unemployment» that activists of WMCW affiliated movements from four continents, testify:
Final Declaration of the Lourdes General Assembly of WMCW - Lourdes 2023
From 24th to 31st March, 2023, 75 delegates representing to movements affiliated to World Movement of Christian Workers, from 25 countries from four continents, met in Lourdes (France), on the occasion of its XIV General Congress.
Under the slogan “Social justice for an economy of life”, we shared workers’ lives of our countries and regions. Using the method See-Judge-Act, we analysed the causes ot the different situations denounced and we decided on the actions to be taken in the global movement and in the local movements.
We have confirmed that the main cause of the dehumanising situations who live workers all over the world is the same one: the unbridled pursuit of profit by the few. This race for money is not only devastating for the human beings, but also it is destroying the environment and depredating the Mother Earth. The whole future of humanity is at stake.
This congress held in France, in the midst of social and trade union mobilisation, we have shown our solidarity with the French workers who are fighting for to respect of their labour rights, threatened by the current government who intends to increase the retirement age and thus to undermine their quality of life,
The migrant situation also drew our attention, especially the youth that, without future in their countries, is forced to leave to other horizons. In these migrations, they are sometimes endagered to die, leaving their families in debt, as happened recently with the tragic fire in a so called “temporary” centre in Juarez City,Chihuahua, Mexico, where 40 Guatemalan migrants died.
We have also highlighted the admirable work of all those people and, particularly of those women, who with their entrepreneurial spirit and initiative are trying to generate independent employment, to find better living conditions in their country.
We also encourage to men and women, driven by their faith in risen Christ, to continue their struggle for greater justice, equality and fraternity. In this sense, we also want to encourage to the youth all over the world to keep fighting for a more just world and to build themselves a future.
Concluding, we have made our own, pope Francis’s words, about “the need to create a new economy of friendship with the earth and an economy of peace”, “to transform an economy that kills into an economy of life”.
May Jesus Worker and Virgin of Lourdes give us light and strength to keep fighting for a social justice and an economy of life,
Lourdes, on 31st March, 2023
INFOR October 2021: "Review of «three T» campaign: land, housing and work"
Through the articles written by some movements, I would like to highlight the important work done by the forty and nine WMCW movements (affiliated and contacts) around the theme «Land, Housing and Work for a decent life».
This theme has found many echoes in all the continents and has strengthened our mission. We were also encouraged pope Francis’s words that, in the meeting of popular movements on 28th October, 2014, said: «There is a thing that every father, every mother wants for their children; an aspiration that should be at the reach for all, but which unfortunately it escapes it more and more to the most is: the land, the housing and the work. It is strange, but when I say this to some people, they tell that Pope is a communist. They do not understand that love to the poor is at the heart of Gospel. Land, housing and work, for which we fight, are sacred rights. Affirming that it is possible is the Social Doctrine of the Church».
And it is above on the basis of these sacred human rights that this INFOR issue presents testimonies about different ways of action around the right of Land, Housing and Work.
- WMCW MESSAGE ON 1st MAY 2023 : "REMEMBERING - REFLECTING- CONTINUING THE STRUGGLE"
- INFOR June 2021: "Telework and Digital Work"
- March 8th: International Day of Women's Rights
- 18th DECEMBER 2022: MIGRANTS’ DAY MESSAGE
- World Day for Decent Work: Decent Work, a Core Commitment for Peace and Social Justice