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Thiruvananthapuram , Apr 26: In a move which
could trigger political reactions, the Catholic Church
in Kerala has decided to strengthen its intervention in
the labour sector by setting up labour forums in all
parishes across the state.
Giving this call in its May Day message, the Labour
Commission of the Kerala Council of Catholic Bishops
(KC-BC) said empowerment of workers is more important,
since labourers are the biggest victims of the global
recession.
The message, posted on the KCBC website ahead of the
International Workers Day, said existing units of the
church sponsored Kerala Labour Movement (KLM) and Self
Help Groups could be activated and converted into labour
forums to serve as a link between workers and the state
and also take up security and welfare measures on their
own.
Asserting that the Catholic Church had always upheld the
dignity of labour and rights of workers, the message
regretted that comprehensive labour welfare and social
security measures were yet to be enacted in the country.
However, the recent central legislation on social
security of unorganised workers was a major step
forward, it said.
Besides achieving the goal of labour empowerment, the
forums should also create awareness among workers about
existing welfare and pension schemes for them and
organise medical insurance projects to enhance their
security cover, the church document said.
However, socialist trade unionist M M Lawrence,
Secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said
that the suggestions issued by the KCBC Labour
Commission fails to provide practical suggestions for
the uplift of labourers.
Addressing a press conference on April 28, the veteran
CITU leader said that the Church should support the
existing trade unions, instead of forming its own
labourer organisations.
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