In our world leadership is needed more than ever. Not just in Parliament or on the TV but in everyday circumstances, in our homes, at work and in the community.

The lack of leadership in everyday situations is quite marked. Often people’s opinions are swayed by the media or by those with the loudest voices. And when leadership is evident, it often comes from those who have had opportunities by virtue or their background, schooling and wealth.

Those with more ordinary backgrounds who often lack confidence need to be encouraged, assisted, trained and sustained in being leaders in their lives. This is exactly what the MCW does best.

As someone once said “leaders don’t grow on trees”, they have to be called and formed. This takes resources which means money, equipment, people, experience, skill and expertise.

This issue of our newsletter illustrates the fruits of the work of the Movement in the form of two articles about women activists trained by the Movement and active members of it. Mary is the current Chair of the Movement and is a Cabinet Member of Gateshead Council. Sabah is a member of the Movement in Egypt and has taken an active part in the momentous events which are changing the course of history in her country. Their actions speak volumes and justify the MCW both as a Movement of the Church and in the World.

Without leaders and in particular Christian Worker Leaders who understand the apostolic nature of their role in society, not only is society the poorer but also the Church is deprived of a profound part of its mission to the world.

We have received some interesting comments in response to a recent newsletter about the unique spirituality of our Movement. A number of readers said that the edition reinforced their belief in the on-going value of the Movement whilst another thanked us for reminding him about the value of the Movement’s Review of Life method. We hope to have a similar response to this newsletter.

Enclosed with this edition you will find an appeal letter asking you to support the development of our Movement in different ways, not least to make a further financial commitment. Times are hard and money is tight but it is hoped that this newsletter will inspire you to dig deep to support the work of the Movement.

Everyone agrees that we have just come through the hardest winter in many a long year with record temperature levels below minus 20ºC. But are we about to enter even harder economic times?

Recently, Mervyn King the Governor of the Bank of England noted, “that UK wages were stagnant, and coupled with high inflation-this led to the longest decline in the real value of take-home pay in the UK since the 1920s”.

The MCW has previously shown here how UK is a highly unequal society with the gap between the rich and the poor greater than at any time since the end of he Second World War.

All the national movements affiliated to the World Movement of Christian Workers have responded positively, quickly and with enormous generosity to the call from the International Council to launch a campaign of solidarity for the support of the Movement in Haiti. Members and supporters of the English and Welsh MCW have also responded to this call raising over £1,000. The aim of the solidarity campaign has been to enable the Movement of Christian Workers (ACO) of Haiti to have the means to rebuild itself. The money will provide a programme of education and training for leaders so that the reconstruction of Haiti is in the hands of Haitians themselves and not foreign leaders no matter how well meaning their intentions.

In September a small delegation of members of the movement in the Dominican Republic visited the leaders of the Haitian movement to make an assessment of the situation and to agree a plan of action for the reconstruction of the movement. Before Christmas a training session based on the review of life method will be held in the Dominican Republic for the current and new leaders of the Haitian ACO. It is thanks to the international solidarity campaign that this will be possible. The intention is to collaborate with the YCW in the Dominican Republic and Haiti in the education, formation and training of leaders. This will enable them to live their faith through a concrete engagement in the political and community groups that will need to take responsibility for the reconstruction of Haiti.

At a time of very significant public sector spending cuts it is interesting to note that research undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows that these cuts are falling more heavily on those with low incomes than other groups. The IFS is Britain's leading independent institute on public finances and tax and has no party political affiliation. Further details can be found at http://www.ifs.org.uk

Another recent report entitled ‘Keeping the Plates Spinning' (http://consumerfocus.org.uk) on payday lending illustrates that those with few or no alternatives always pay more interest than those with greater means. Payday lending comprises of a small loan (£100 - £1,000) advanced until the next payday (usually a month). Charges are fixed at a fee per £100 and loans can generally be extended each month by paying this fee or can be repaid in full. According to Consumer Focus, which commissioned the report, the number of people using payday loans has quadrupled in the last four years to 1.2 million with £1 billion lent in 2009 alone by around seven major companies. It noted average annual percentage rates of 2,500%.

During three sunny days in Poitiers over the Pentecost weekend (22-24 May 2010) 750 delegates representing 15,000 members of the Action Catholique Ouvrière (ACO) of France exchanged their experiences of life. Confronted by their faith in the liberating message of Christ's gospel they committed themselves to continue to ‘Resist' the attacks on the poorest and most vulnerable members of French society in order to give hope to the world.

‘In a world where money is the king, where anything can be bought and sold, we have to listen to the cry of men and women, to the silence of the machines created by factory closures, to the voice of working people who are losing their jobs, to the migrant workers who are being ejected from our country. When we hear and listen to these cries, are they not the cries of love from Christ for the whole of humanity that is manifesting itself.'

Emma Goldman (1869-1940) a Lithuanian born American international anarchist is often credited with coining the above title phrase which Ken Livingston years later used for his book "If voting changed anything they'd abolish it" (1988).

This sentiment reflects a left wing critique of liberal parliamentary democratic systems. It argues that such systems do not bring about any real structural change in the distribution of income and wealth and as a consequence political power and influence continues to rest with an economic and political elite.

Recent global events would appear to give some credence to such a critique. The current economic system puts profits for a small elite before the collective need of the whole community especially the most disadvantaged members. In a report entitled ‘Unequal Britain'1 Professor Peter Hills shows in stark terms the outcome of the obsession with the free market; ‘Britain's richest 10% are now 100 times better off than the poorest'.

As the General Election looms large it is an opportune time to consider what we want from the next Government and indeed why we should bother to be involved in the process of democracy at all.

Given the recent scandals surrounding MP’s expenses and the disrepute into which this has brought politics, it is easy to understand the view hich goes something like “they are all self-serving rouges and I want nothing to do with them”. This of course plays into the hands of cynics who, for whatever reason, would rather we always had a negative or pessimistic view of everything from democracy to human nature in general. We as Christians, particularly in this Easter season, should have a different view of the world and of human nature. Our faith challenges us to be more open, more optimistic and to build a positive vision of the future.

This month of March 2010, we celebrate a 100 years of the proclamation of International Women’s Day. It was in 1910, during the international conference of women workers in Copenhagen, that proposal by the German socialist Clara Zetkin to have a day that marks the struggle for women’s rights to full participation and equality with men in society and at work and in the integral development of the person was approved.

It is a proclamation in memory of a very old struggle between the sexes that leaves a memory of very sad events. One of which took place in 1908 in a “Cotton Factory”, where 129 women workers burnt to death following a bomb attack in the middle of a strike, where the women were protesting against the infamous working conditions to which they were subjected, low salaries, long working hours, child labour.

On this day, we underline the immense recognition for all these women of all ages who have throughout a part or in the totality of their lives been protagonists in their struggles for a significant advancement in justice and equality, and that now we can see their fruits. We observe the social and political advances and the approval of rights, and the presence of women in important positions of power and the realisation of the right of women to take their place in public and political positions.

However, there is still much to be done in order that this equality can become a reality in all the areas and places of daily activity. There are still numerous situations in which discrimination against women is maintained, where there is a lack of respect for justice. Simply take a look at our neighbours and neighbourhoods, families, our work colleagues, women workers in other continents to see that there still exists many differences and discrimination and sexual violence.

We can see that this situation is getting worse today with the global crisis that we face which hits without mercy the working class, the vulnerable and the disadvantaged, but in a way that is more brutal and lasting longer, an specifically hitting poorer women the young and migrants.

In 2009 a report was published on the “Global Employment Trends for Women” by the ILO which confirmed that inequality between the sexes remain a big problem in the world labour market.

Women workers confront many obstacles to access the labour market they are facing many restrictions in relation to sectors of activity in which they would like to work and with conditions to which they aspire.

They are over represented in the agricultural sector, they are disadvantaged because the make up a large proportion of the informal economy with precarious employment low wages and often working in inhuman conditions.

As the church present in the world of work, as Christian worker activists, we cannot remain passive in front of these unjust situations. The recognition and protection of women’s rights in the world of work depends on work organisations taking into account the vocation and dignity of women (Social Teaching of the Church 295). We have to continue to demand equal salaries for equal work, a work-family balance, equal rights and an end to sexist violence.

We want equality between the sexes inside the church. The respect for the autonomy of women and their right to equality should be continued, which is a struggle that requires the commitment of all men and women. It is urgent to promote changes in cultural attitudes that reinforce in a decisive manner obedient women and prevent their self-development.

The ILO report mentioned above states: ”The crisis has raised attention for the need for a dramatic shift to an improved globalization that includes sustainable and quality jobs, broader social protection, and social dialogue. Social dialogue, which includes explicit representation of women on solutions to the economic crisis matters now more than ever. In the world, there remains a huge untapped labour potential of women, and economic growth and development could be much higher if social and economic readjustments are made so as to provide every women with the opportunity of decent employment.”

We can live the 8 March united around the demands of women around world as a time of change. Let’s participate in this way together, with new experiences that show that human beings are capable of social re-organisation with cooperation over competition, equality rather than inequality, a sense of community over individualism.

Let’s practice other forms of power a power shared between individuals and collective power; let’s research new models for a different world, where there is a way life for all. Let us remember, “Without women, rights are not human.”

It is only by this way that it will be possible to life in respect of diversity and that a women will not be penalised for the fact that she is a women. It is a new opportunity to reinforce in all areas of life the possibilities which open themselves up to regain a profound sense of work that ennobles a person, women or man, and that does not leave human beings at the hands of production and consumption.

WMCW