World Syntegrity Project
Collated Statements of Importance

Topic: Work

WORK - Light Blue - AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

PLUS:

Title: ACTING

Abundance of problems, increasing complexity and powerlessness necessitate a choice between two ways of action:

  1. Expand international organisations, increase input and feedback of local parties, start meetings, put all topics on the agenda, etc.
  2. Stop this meeting, go and do something or nothing.

It is better to stop half the way, then to go completely astray.

WORK AS A LIBERATING AGENT - Brown - BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

(Work: translated from the Latin term tripalltum harnesses for beasts of burden)

Work, in any of its forms, is inherent to the human being. It is through work that we transform ourselves and nature; whatever we think of work is what we think of the human being. In our world, work is thought of as indicated by the etymological definition given above: torture. Under this criterion, the human being is deemed to be an object. Man is thus oppressed, considered as a thing, as a "resource", as a means. Its worth is defined by its material possessions and not by what it actually is, since as an object, it cannot be. Therefore, gains and profits are the reason for work, and not the growth of the human being as a purpose in itself. "Labor force", time and abilities are sold. Money is received and used to buy goods and services to increase the overall price of the person-object.

We believe that the human being can go from being an object to being a subject (and it is only at that time that history is made). Given that work is inherent to the human being, it becomes necessary:

  1. For work to cease to be considered as a torture and become an agent of pleasure, creativity and vital sense: the erotization of work.
  2. For the work required for the material survival not be granted any more importance than other fields of human activity.
  3. For the human being to become a subject worker and not an object of work, that is to say, a transformer of the world and of itself and for employer-employee relationships to begin becoming cooperation relationships (co-management and co-ownership).
  4. For the power relationships in the organization to become horizontal relationships in which conflict would transmit itself in ways other than mere force, acknowledging the power that the creative results of work bestow upon the human worker.

How can this be accomplished?

  1. The first social purpose of productive enterprises must be the human being, which should be far more important than the production of a good or a service or profits themselves.
  2. Dialogues, debates, and negotiation of administrative conditions and corporate goals must be established.
  3. Ever since the person's early school years, conditions must be established, capable of modifying the conception of work and of allowing individuals to develop those activities that are most satisfactory to them, where they can enjoy every task they undertake.

EMPLOYMENT - NEW HARTFORD, NEW YORK

Every world citizen should have a job which gives satisfaction and enough money/benefits for the worker to live a decent life. Everyone who can work should work.

Consumers and workers should be empowered by being able to freely express thoughts and feelings to employers about work improvements, dissatisfactions and working environment.

Corporations (especially multinational corporations) should be educated continuously about the social impact of their decisions upon workers, the community and the environment.

Ownership should be from various sources such as government, in partnership with both the public and private sectors. We should encourage more worker-owned and cooperative enterprises. Every citizen of the world should have job security. Sanctions should be taken by the work community against employers who exploit employees and/or the environment.

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