Christian Labour Movement celebrates centenary
The Christian Labour Movement that is now known as Beweging.net is celebrating its centenary. 100 years ago, today the Christian trade union ACV, the Christian health mutual, the Christian women’s and youth federations and other socially aware Christian groups joined to form ACW. The “General Christian Employees Federation” changed its name to Beweging.net in 2014.
Over the years some of the associations that form Beweging.net have also changed their names to reflect changes in their membership or to be more relevant to contemporary society.
Today is Ascension Thursday, the day on which the Christian Labour Movement commemorates the encyclical on the rights and duties of capital and labour, known as Rerum Novarum, that was issued by Pope Leo XIII 130 years ago on 15 May 1891. For the first time the Catholic Church recognised the suffering of workers and for the first time they were allowed to set up their own organisations.