Vatican studies long term effects of industrial outsourcing

“The young people are out on the streets in countries like Spain, Greece and even Italy because they are living with the human effects of big industries outsourcing their production to countries like Bangladesh, Haiti or Dhaka where they can pay workers a percentage of what they would have to pay in Milan”, says Fr Michael Czerny S.J. The official from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace was speaking on the sidelines of a special one day workshop sponsored by the Council and drawing together Italian Union representatives to discuss the impact of the “Industry and Outsourcing”.

Chaired by Council President Card. Peter Turkson, the encounter includes interventions by UGL secretary general Giovanni Centrella and Luigi Sbarra of Cisl, on the impact of the current economic crisis, as well as analysis and proposals to prevent the flight of key employers to developing countries.

“The short term effects for industry may be larger profit margins”, noted Fr. Czerny, “but the long term effects on national economies, society and families may not be worth it”. “It has all the effects that human life gets reduced to sub minimal standards, so for example the very normal and healthy desire to settle down and have a family becomes impossible as you have no steady guarantee of income. So outsourcing, while it might reduce some costs quickly, in the long run is generating social upheaval and leading to a deterioration of human life. Outsourcing means short term decisions that are leading to the destruction of man”. Listen