By Prince Henderson
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi through its Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO), in conjunction with the Center for Social Concern (CFSC) recently organized an interface meeting with Members of Parliament (MPS) including Chairpersons of Parliamentary Committees to advocate and lobby for improved working conditions of tenants.
CPL officer, Fr. Henry Chinkanda said the interface meeting which was held at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe under the theme “dignity of human labor with special emphasis on the plight of tenants on farms” was in line with the Catholic Social Teaching.
“Basically, the aim of the interface was to advocate and lobby for improved working conditions of tenants, a fact that necessitates a legislation that would protect and safeguard this group of workers who in most cases work under undignified conditions particularly on the farms,” said Fr. Chinkanda.
He said the effort was initiated way back in 1992 and later picked up by the Center for Social Concern (CFSC) and Malawi Confederation of Trade Union (MCTU)
Spearheading the reflection for day, Fr. Henry Chinkanda,emphasized that one of the mostly cherished principles of the Church is ‘Option for the Poor’- sometimes referred to as ‘preferential option for the poor’ as Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical, titled Rerum Novarum outlines.
“Already in 1891, Rerum Novarum was a groundbreaking social encyclical that addressed the dehumanizing working conditions of many workers, particularly that of tenants. To this effect, the encyclical affirms workers’ rights to just wages, rest – holidays and fair treatment,” said Fr. Chinkanda, adding that “It is the duty of the State to facilitate Distributive Justice so that workers – tenants can adequately support their families and someday own property of their own”
He said poor tenants have a special claim to consideration and passing the long due awaited Tenancy Bill would alleviate the plight most of them are going through in the country.
According to Fr. Chinkanda, It is important to note that both the employer and employee need each other hence Capital or employer cannot do without labor or employee or vice versa.
“There is need for mutual agreement which results into of good order which can only be enhanced when employees faithfully and honestly perform the work they have freely agreed to do while the employers have the duty of respecting the dignity of their workers, not treating them as indentured labor or simply a factor of production, but remembering that working for a living is an honorable thing,” he said.
The Center for Social Concern’s Fr. Jos Kuppens said among others working conditions, wages and treatment of most tenants in this country, particularly those working in farms are not up to standards.