Presseerklärung zur Konferenz „Shaping the Future of Work – a faith based contribution to the ILO Centenary Initiative“

Wir freuen uns, die Pres­se­er­klä­rung der CALL (Church Action on Labour and Life) Network der Con­fe­rence of European Churches (CEC) anläss­lich der Kon­fe­renz „Shaping the Future of Work – a faith based con­tri­bu­tion to the ILO Cen­ten­ary Initia­tive“ zu ver­öf­fent­li­chen. Die Kon­fe­renz fand am 27. November 2018 in Brüssel statt und wurde von der Inter­na­tio­nal Labour Orga­ni­sa­tion (ILO) und der CALL, bei dem auch Mitglied des Europa-Aus­schus­ses mit­wirkte, gemein­sam orga­ni­siert.

© CEC/ Eric Green

Press Release No: 18/36
27 November 2018
Brussels

Shaping the Future of Work: 200 gather for faith-based con­tri­bu­tion to ILO cen­ten­ary

On Tuesday, 27 November, nearly 200 people gathered at the European Economic and Social Com­mit­tee for “Shaping the Future of Work,” a con­fe­rence addres­sing new chal­lenges, while also looking forward to the 100^th anni­ver­sary of the Inter­na­tio­nal Labour Orga­niza­tion next year.

The CALL (Church Action on Labour and Life) Network of the Con­fe­rence of European Churches orga­nised the event in coope­ra­tion with the Com­mis­sion of the Bishops’ Con­fe­rence of the European Union (COMECE), other Catholic partners, the Evan­ge­li­cal Church in Germany (EKD), and the Inter­na­tio­nal Labour Orga­niza­tion. The con­fe­rence also had an inter­faith dimen­sion, with repre­sen­ta­tion from Jewish and Muslim com­mu­ni­ties.

Pre­sen­ta­ti­ons and dis­cus­sion con­tri­bu­ted to ongoing debates about extra­or­di­nary changes in work as a result of digi­ta­li­sa­tion, auto­ma­tion, robo­ti­sa­tion and advances in arti­fi­cial intel­li­gence. The ongoing climate crisis also informed this exchange.

Both Chris­ti­ans and repre­sen­ta­ti­ves from other reli­gi­ons advo­ca­ted putting people at the centre in dealing with tran­si­ti­ons in work. Labour is not only about material well­be­ing, but should remain a place where a person can flourish, serve society, and care for Creation. Paid work—along with labour in the home and vol­un­teer commitments—should empower people to actively par­ti­ci­pate in society. In this view, new tech­no­lo­gies might offer libe­ra­tion from dan­ge­rous, tiring, or boring work.

The future of the social pro­tec­tion system, which in many count­ries is related to personal income and the work­place, was also the subject of lively debate. Edu­ca­tion will have to adapt and gua­ran­tee that as many people as possible have access to the “new” world of labour, and tax systems have to allow for all members of a society to lead a digni­fied and decent life.

CEC Pre­si­dent Rev. Chris­tian Krieger con­cluded, “The con­fe­rence has proven that Chris­tia­nity and reli­gious tra­di­ti­ons can con­tri­bute sub­stan­ti­ally to the essen­tial dis­cus­sion on the future of work. We as people and as a society have to shape the future of work together, and not leave it to auto­ma­tic, uncon­troll­able dynamics. This is all the more pressing as we consider our respon­si­bi­lity to care for Creation and be respon­si­ble stewards of our planet’s limited resour­ces.”

Other con­tri­bu­ti­ons from the CALL Network included:

• Dean Satu Saarinen, Cathe­dral of Oulu, Evan­ge­li­cal Lutheran Church of Finland
• Rev. Dr Kari Latvus, Senior Adviser for Society, Work, Public Theology, Digital Media at the National Church Council – Worship and Society, Evan­ge­li­cal Lutheran Church of Finland (Member of the CALL Coor­di­na­tion Team)
• Prof. Dr Radu Preda, Chair of Orthodox Social Theology, Uni­ver­sity of Cluj-Napoca, Romania

For the complete pro­gramme from the con­fe­rence, please click here.

For more infor­ma­tion or an inter­view, please contact:

Dr Erin Green
Com­mu­ni­ca­tion Coor­di­na­tor
Con­fe­rence of European Churches
Rue Joseph II, 174 B‑1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 234 68 42
Fax +32 2 231 14 13
E‑mail: eeg@cec-kek.be
Website: www.ceceurope.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ceceurope
Twitter: @ceceurope