May Day: “Selfish profit over social justice”, says the Pope.
- May 27th, 2013
- Posted by Editor EUAustralia
The month of May began with traditional workers’ parades from Moscow to Madrid; this year with protest definitely in mind, with some good cause – recognised at the Vatican as elsewhere.
The European Union had just released a new set of glum unemployment figures, giving the EU average at over 12%.
The marches were huge and overall peaceful, making a case in numbers to governments against persisting to the extremes with austerity budgets.
Crowd estimates had 10000 in Greece, 90000 in Paris and also in Moscow, hundreds of thousands in Italy.
In Rome, Pope Francis reiterated his concerns about recession and joblessness, expressed often enough since his accession in March; see EUAustralia Online, New Pope …, 4.3.13.
“I call on politicians to make every effort to relaunch the labour market,” he said in his weekly address, coinciding with May Day.
“I think of people, not just young people, who are unemployed often because of an economic conception of society based on selfish profit outside the bounds of social justice.
“Work is fundamental for dignity.”
Reference
AFP, Paris, Pope Francis calls for ‘social justice’ against unemployment, 1.5.13.
Deutsche Welle, Bonn, Pope condemns unemployment on Labour Day, 1.5.13. www.dw.de/pope-condemns-unemployment-on-labor-day/a-16783274?, (28.5.13).