Employment, Zuppi: ‘Concern over figures, fair wages needed’

Vatican City (Vatican), 27 May (LaPresse) – On the subject of employment, "one of the most worrying figures to emerge from the latest annual report by Istat, published on 21 May, is that relating to poor employment, which is increasingly widespread, to the extent that over 23% of the population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. In short, working today is no longer enough to consider oneself safe from poverty. All this is to the detriment of families and, consequently, of access to healthcare, educational opportunities and the ability to meet ordinary and extraordinary expenses. Poor working conditions increase gender, territorial and intergenerational inequalities and exacerbate the dramatic housing problem." This was stated by the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, during his introduction to the Permanent Council of the CEI. “We need courageous labour policies,” Zuppi emphasised, 'that can reconcile the need for fair wages and production consistent with the teachings of the Church's social doctrine. Without work, there is no respect for dignity. As an aside, we cannot fail to reiterate that industrial production that seeks to convert some of the companies in crisis into arms manufacturers is not good for our economy or for the world."