AS WORKERS WE REMAIN FIRM IN OUR MISSION: “FIGHTING, FIGHTING, FIGHTING AND RESISTING”
We thought we had gone out of this health crisis and we could demonstrate in the Labour Day. But here we are, still under the yoke of this pandemic which is gnawing our Common House, fighting to keep us safe.
1st May is an indelible inscription. We are not only fighting against a destructive virus globally, but also against a dividing current that decreases the primacy of work. This social and personal value, which raises the dignity of each individual, must be always held high in the hearts and minds of states as a humanity standard.
Will we be able to watch out the decline of the value inherited from the ancients?
Will we be able to watch out for the dignity of the poor who are constantly deprived of their dignity, of the marginalised who queue in solidarity shops, “resto du coeur”, or during the distribution of food parcels and solidarity cheques? Will we be able to resist before the economic exploitation with workers?
We commemorate International Women's Day, in memory of the momentous event that marked the history of labour and trade union struggle around the world on March 8, 1908. On this date 129 women died in a fire in the Cotton factory in New York, USA, after they went on strike and stayed at their workplace. The reason: a reduction of the working day to 10 hours, equal pay for the same work as men, and to overcome the poor working conditions they suffered.
From our own journey and our own perspectives as women activists and members of the WMCW, we take on the dedication of the year 2021 at the global level with the slogan: "Women leaders: For an egalitarian future in the world of Covid-19". Our daily contribution to the construction of relations of equality and the enjoyment of the Integral Well-being of our families, communities and peoples is still undervalued and made invisible by a society of consumption and discarding..
The International Specialised Catholic Action Movements (Miacs) represent more than 500 movements around the world with a great diversity of countries, cultures and backgrounds. Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic we have been reflecting together on this crisis and wish to share some thoughts and actions.
The pandemic has brutally aggravated pre-existing problems: unemployment, inequalities between gender, between rich and poor, within and between countries, and domestic violence. Various needs including access to healthcare, social security, working conditions, health, food, education, reception of migrants are growing as is the visibility of these problems and the national debt.
The pandemic has made these situations unbearable, as illustrated by the reports of IYCW on the impact of Covid on young workers, FIMARC on farmers and fisherfolk, and MIDADE on the living conditions of children. A system that fails to solve these roblems or to prevent them from worsening, needs to change.
The migrants occupy a very special place and deserve the greatest attention among others. There are millions of migrants around the world, and the numbers are increasing continuously. One of the vital missions as Catholics is to be in solidarity with the weakest and the suffering of our society. Our confessional allegiances must be challenged by the realities in which we find ourselves. We must free ourselves from institutional bondages. Migration is one of the many expressions of marginalisation that affects the poor. The main reason is because of its compulsory nature and the injustices it represents, migration calls for a commitment to fight against it, in the name of the liberated God.
The global crisis caused by Covid-19 pandemic, resulted in millions of migrants loosing the jobs and to be fled to their own countries penniless. This had affected migrants both physically and mentally. Economic instability is another major woe against dignified human living. The pandemic has reminded us how essential co-responsibility is and that only with the contribution of everyone; even of those groups so often underestimated can we face this crisis. Drawing close to others often means being willing to take risks as so many medical staff have taught us during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Most movements analyse this time of pandemic as an extension of crisis provoked long time ago by neoliberarl system: a system that crushes the most fragile and the smallest ones. COVID-19 has only amplified the suffering, fears and the poverty. And the first victims are the workers and, among them, the migrants, women, young people, informal sector workers... all this reminds us of the commad of profet Amos: «Woe to him who tramples of Justice!». Let us pray to the Lord that we will not be one of them!
- "Letter to Francis", final document of the World Meeting of People's Movements 2020
- PRAYER “FOR THE WORLD DAY FOR DECENT WORK” 7 OCTOBER 2020
- Message of the WMCW on October 7th: International Day for Decent Work
- Review of Life on the Coronavirus
- Message of WMCW on 1st of May 2020
- Message of Pope Francis to popular movements and organizations on Easter Sunday 2020
- STOP VIRUSES!
- Message from the WMCW on the occasion of the 8th March, International Women's Day
- Special INFOR issued on the occasion of the 50 years of history of WMCW
- Social justice is the true continuity of Christmas
- International Migrants' Day on Dec. 18th: "Decent Work for All Migrant Workers"
- WMCW Prayer for Decent Work (October 7th, 2019)
- October 7th, 2019: World Day of Action for Decent Work
- WMCW STATEMENT - INTERNATIONAL LABOUR AY- 1st MAY
- 8th MARCH, 2019: "Before being a Woman, a Woman is a Human Being"
- Solidarity message: December 18th, International Day of Migrant Workers
- 7th October 2018: WMCW Message on the World Day of Action for Decent Work
- WMCW Prayer for Decent Work - October 7th, 2018
- Tripartism Plus - Rethinking Social Dialogue in Times of Globalisation and Informalisation
- ILO Conference 2018, Geneva: Rethinking Social Dialogue in times of Globalization and Informalization