AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Appeal from the Christian Workers Movement: "A dignified life guaranteed by decent wages"

Monday, 4 May 2020 work   laity   justice   coronavirus  

Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - "The MMTC is committed together with all workers in rural and urban areas to ask for a decent life. Yes, we ask workers for decent work, fair wages and human conditions in workplaces", says Benjamin Yao, National President of the MTC-CI, movement of Christian workers of the Ivory Coast, on the occasion of International Labor Day, May 1st.
Resuming the appeal launched by the MMTC, the World Movement of Christian Workers, which expresses concern over the calling into question of workers' rights around the world. In its May 1 message, the MMTC "bitterly notes the increase in unemployment and precarious lives of millions of people, especially domestic workers with poor wages and infinite working hours. As a movement of Christian workers, we want to promote the recognition of workers' rights hoping for the advent of a mentality rich in humanity in our families, companies and social organizations".
Finally, the MMTC invited to meditate on the words of Pope Francis: "They do not understand that love for the poor is at the centre of the Gospel. Land, housing and work, what you struggle for, are sacred rights. It is the social teaching of the Church''.
Created in 1983, the mission of MTC-CI is to evangelize, educate and train people in order to improve workers' living conditions. It brings together workers, pensioners and all those who commit themselves to be actors in a society founded on solidarity and justice and to fight poverty, unemployment and the degradation of values.
This year, as in several other parts of the world, Labor Day celebrations in Ivory Coast were conditioned by restrictions to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its message, the leadership of the MTC-CI announced "that this year Mass will not be celebrated on the occasion of workers' day but invited everyone to "remain united in prayer".
In a gesture of solidarity and concern for workers in the Catholic education sector, the Bishops of Ivory Coast invited the Secretariat for Catholic Education to "keep the jobs and wages of the employees" despite difficulties caused by COVID-19.
In a statement of April 23, the Bishops' Conference of the Ivory Coast (CECCI), invited Catholic educational staff from the West African nation to "show understanding and a spirit of sacrifice in negotiations with their employers".
Catholic schools and universities in Ivory Coast have been closed since March 17 due to government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions. (S.S.) (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 4/5/2020)


Share: