Info Alert 131 April 25, 2017
"Our responsibility as Christians is to defend the rights and dignity of those who are most vulnerable and powerless in our society, and it's not okay to be quiet." - Sister Norma Pimentel,MJ, (Ignatian Justice Teach-In)
Education: Workers' Rights, Immigrants
Workers' Rights: Catholic Social Teaching strongly supports the principle that the economy must serve people, not the other way around. "Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative." -CST
On 4/19/17, the Economic Policy Institute posted some of the things the President and Congress have recently done that affect working people by undercutting wages and protections for working people by:
1. Protecting Wall Street profits that siphon billions of dollars from retirement savers. At the president's behest, the Dept. of Labor has delayed a rule requiring financial professionals to recommend retirement investment products that serve their clients' best interests. Supposed to go into effect 4/10, every day the rule is delayed, retirees lose millions of dollars.
2. Letting employers hide fatal injuries. The Senate approved a resolution (3/22) making it harder to hold employers accountable when they subject workers to dangerous conditions. Trump said he would sign the resolution, insuring more workers will suffer injuries and responsible employers will be penalized.
3. Undermining important regulations protecting workers and consumers. The executive order (1/30) requires federal agencies assess a regulation's value based solely on costs--regardless of dangers to people, e.g., dumping of toxic waste.
4. Gutting the strength of labor organizing by forcing unions to represent and protect non-dues-paying workers, a law that forces unions to drain resources. These "right-to-work" laws do not make life better for hard-working Americans. Rather congress and the president should be addressing wage stagnation and inequality.
5. Putting the brakes on overtime pay for the middle class.
6. Slashing the budget for the Dept. of Labor, hindering its ability to enforce wage theft and worker safety laws, or provide job training programs.
7. Declining to raise the minimum wage and lift pay for low-wage workers. (http://www.epi.org)
Immigrants/Refugees: Phila. Arch. Catholic Social Services held a meeting about immigrants and refugees on 4/6/17.
S. Rose Patrice attended as our IHM member. The Coalition will be divided into 3 groups: 1) Advocacy/Formation,
2)Legal Services, 3)Social Services. The CSS will receive two Sudan refugees in two weeks, supported by Chester City and BVM Parish, Darby. CSS received a contract from USCCB to be a provider of services for victims of trafficking.
S. Rose will keep us updated on the Philly CSS Coalition.
Visit to Rep. Pat Meehan's local district office: In visiting Rep. Meehan's office during Easter recess, we presented our concerns about the threatening climate of deportation, separation of families, disregard for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and Dream (Dream and Grow our Economy) students. Fear is paralyzing many of our immigrants who are afraid to leave their houses to attend Literacy classes--even to food shop. We were pleased with Rep. Meehan's awareness and support of the USCCB stance on immigration. We left the JFI folder of information for their fact support.
Action: Call Congress (1-202-224-3121) 1. to nullify or block implementation of the immigration and refugee/related Executive Orders (EO 13767), (EO 13768), and (EO 13780).
2. to support and/or co-sponsor the BRIDGE Act (Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream/ Grow our Economy), HR 496.
3. Call on Administration to refrain from Family Separation.
Prayer: In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul states, "the love of Christ" urges us to press on. So we pray that our lawmakers do justice with a budget that honors their sacred trust from God to care for the poor, hungry, marginalized in our nation and around the world. Urgency drives us to pray and ask Congress not to cut, but to adequately fund programs such as WIC, global child nutrition and humanitarian assistance to end hunger here and around the world by 2030.
Upcoming Events: The Great American Cleanup of PA, 3/1 to 5/31. Registered events get free cleanup supplies (bags, gloves, etc.) donated by PennDOT and Keep America Beautiful. (gacofpa.org)
We know that exploitation or care for creation most affects the world's vulnerable. Poverty, hunger, migration are
interwoven crises. Try to involve your ministry in learning, life-changing events to show concern for our earth.