Bishops' May Day message stresses workers' social security

The message stressed on to organize the unorganized workers in some format in order to secure justice.

By Bijay Kumar Minj
New Delhi:  Indian bishops have asked Church organizations and dioceses to promote a social security scheme and just wages among unorganized workers at all levels to ensure worker's rights, especially of migrants and women.

The May Day message from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) stressed on to organize the unorganized workers in some format in order to secure justice.

It said that the Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church states that workers' unions are “a positive influence" for social order and solidarity and are therefore an "indispensable element of social life.”

The message from CBCI Labor Commission also asked to create a pastoral desk in each diocese to cater to the needs of the inter-state migrant workers to promote their spiritual and social integration.

Fr. Jaison Vadassery, Commission secretary, said in order to intervene meaningfully in the issues of the poor workers of our country "we need to strengthen these national movements and regional structures under each Catholic diocese.

"We bargain and fight for just wages for all the employees of our country, we also struggle hard to ensure just wages for the employees in the Church's institutions," he said.

The social security for the employees in our institutions is also the special concern of the Church. Therefore CBCI has come forward with Mazdoor Suraksha Yojana (MSY), for Church workers across the country.

It is a contributory pension scheme that deposits minimum of Rs.1000 for the employee and the government also contributes. At the age of sixty (60) Governments through Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) will give pension for staff and family. During the period of employment the worker is covered under life insurance also.

The CBCI promotes this scheme in the civil society as well as within Church institutions because Right to Work and right to rest are the fundamental rights of every human being, the priest said.

The May Day message also urged to combat the child labor and promote just wages.