People working without the necessary documents, child labour and bad working conditions for foreigners are just three forms of exploitation present among us. Bishop Mario Grech condemned them during his homily on the Feast of St Joseph the Worker.

Exploitation of humans by other humans is a horrible crime and sin. It is based on the assumption that one human being is better, has more rights and less duties than others do. It is based on an attitude that justifies one trampling on another. Exploiters believe that not all animals are equal on the proverbial farm. Exploitation has plagued the human race since time immemorial. It caused and is causing a lot of suffering. It dehumanizes the exploiter and the exploited.

The exploiters are dehumanised because their way of living is a negation of what human living should be all about. It should be based on solidarity and love. Exploiters, on the other hand, believe that it should be based on dominance and contemptuousness towards others. Exploiters are dehumanized as their humanity is stifled. They cannot achieve the sense of fulfillment that is the right of every man and woman.

The triple exploitations

Bishop Grech was more than right to bring up the subject. Let us look at some detail at what he said.

(i) Sometimes people work without the proper documents because they are told that they will be employed only if they are not registered in any way. "This is an immoral practice" says Bishop Grech "which leads to tax evasion and negates the workers' right for social security and a pension. In such a situation, one's job is continuously under threat and the employer can easily shortchange the worker. When the economy is weak workers can very easily be blackmailed into accepting such conditions."

(ii) Bishop Grech's second target was child labour, especially during the summer months. "There are cases when children have to work in inhuman conditions and environment which are not suitable for minors. Sometimes minors are engaged instead of adults because employing minors is cheaper. This exploitation of children should be stopped."

(iii) "The exploitation of workers especially those employed ‘as a way of showing charity' is rampart. Many times foreigners, particularly immigrants that are in the open centres, are in a situation of dire need and are consequently forced to accept to do whatever they are asked to do even if the wages received are not just and they are forced to work for extremely long hours." Bishop Grech rightly compares these conditions to those of slavery.

Laws are not enough

It is true that there are laws against these forms of exploitation and that our laws are quite progressive. However, laws alone are not enough especially when people feel that they are vulnerable due to prevailing economic conditions or particularly tough personal situations. The voice of the Church and the work of trade unions are essential for the rectifying of the situation.

Bishop Grech spoke very clearly while applying to concrete situations the social teaching of the church. Unfortunately, this social teaching is not well known and well practiced. For many Catholics, adherence to the social teaching of the church is optional. It is definitely not so. This was clearly shown in a statement published by the USA based group called Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice. The group was founded in 2008.

Union busting is a mortal sin

In a statement released May 1, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, they argue that actions to prevent workers organizing themselves in trade unions, attempts to stifle labour negotiations and the breaking of existing agreements can be a "grave violation of Catholic social doctrine on labour unions."

"This violation of Catholic doctrine constitutes material grounds for mortal sin because it stands in grave violation of both the letter and spirit of Catholic social doctrine," said the document, titled "Union Busting Is a Mortal Sin."

Some may ask why this is so. According to these scholars such anti-worker actions goes against the First, Fifth and Seventh commandments regarding idolatry, scandal and theft, respectively. One should not be surprised at this position since Catholic social teaching considers workers' right to join trade unions as essential to the universal common good. Catholic teaching has long held that workers have "the natural right of free assembly." Even a cursory look that the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church would lead one to this conclusion.

What does idolatry have to do with this? The scholars explain that the effort to break a union using civil laws is comparable to idol worship, which is contrary to the First Commandment. "Since the right to form labour unions is rooted in divine law, no created law may be invoked to deny, or frustrate, or impede that right," the document said.

Furthermore, the statement continued, efforts to deny union representation to workers limit employee access to just wages and benefits, thus harming "social solidarity" and diminishing the "universal common good," both cited as violations of the Fifth Commandment. The Seventh Commandment is transgressed because, in the opinion of these scholars, robbing wages and robbing people of their right to join a union is a kind of theft.

I found all this to be most interested. The full statement can be viewed on www.catholicscholarsforworkerjustice.org

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