A Presbyterian minister and former member of the National Council of Churches, Rawlings is president of the United Nations Association USA (New Jersey Division), which sponsored the event along with the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey (SCI).

He joined other advocates, academics, and labor leaders in sounding an alarm as more white-collar jobs follow globalization’s economics to distant shores. It was a wake up call to religious leaders to understand and create dialogue concerning globalization.

"What happened to our fervor?" said Monsignor John Gilchrist, pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Harrison, New Jersey and chair of the Newark Archdiocesan Commission for Inter-Religious Affairs. "If this were the 1970s, the room would be overflowing with religious people taking the lead in transformational social justice. Can it be that we are only focused on ourselves?"

Fighting battles already fought

Labor and advocacy experts presented a gloomy portrait of globalization that will continue to erode the quality of life for the middle and professional classes. Poor and immigrant workers, already marginalized, will find that government protections are not being enforced or heeded, they said.

"Who would believe that we have to fight the battle for a safe workplace when we already have the laws? People are working high-risk positions for low wages. Injury and death rates are rising among these low-paying jobs," said Richard Cunningham, executive director of New Labor, a New Brunswick, New Jersey community group that provides programs and advocates for Latino workers.

According to Dr. Eileen Appelbaum, labor economist and director of the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University, already 300,000 high tech jobs have been outsourced. "It happened so quickly that it is not a stretch to count the other 14 million US high tech jobs in grave jeopardy. Look at what happened to manufacturing jobs," she said.

The future job outlook is equally bleak. According to US Labor Department statistics released in February 2004, the top ten occupations with the largest job growth through 2012 include seven that are considered low paying. These include retail salespersons, customer service reps, food prep and serving workers, cashiers, janitors and cleaners, waiters and waitresses, and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants. Only three professions—registered nurses, post-secondary teachers, and general operations managers—required a college degree.

"All of this leads to increased anxiety among white collar workers. Families suffer. People are afraid to ask for time off to take care for a sick child or elderly parent. Workers take pay cuts to keep medical benefits or exchange health care coverage for more wages," said Appelbaum.

She is concerned that skilled workers are facing uncertainty while corporations enjoy their highest profits. According to the Center for Economic and Public Research, corporate profits have grown substantially since 2000, cutting into employee compensation. In addition, corporate reinvestment is at its lowest point.

"Even the great boom of the 90's was really a hoax. Local governments offered incentive packages to corporations where many pay little or no taxes," said John Shure, president of New Jersey Policy Perspective. "Median wages in New Jersey actually declined. Wages fell for everyone without a college diploma. "

Shure looks to faith-based communities to join other labor advocates because "you can play to people’s noblest sentiments. We live in a culture that exalts the rugged individual. If you haven't made it economically, it is your fault. Our task is to return to a sense that we are in this together. That won't be easy because we will need to fight individual greed that permeates our government, culture, and consumer nature."

Worldwide concern

The American workers' dilemma has long been high on the agenda of workers in other countries. There is a greater sense of consciousness of workers' rights and abuses in international agencies such as the United Nations. Tanny Mukhopadhyay, policy specialist for the United Nations, urged religious leaders to look to internationally agreed documents. The International Labor Organization's Standards of Aspiration clearly demonstrate a model workplace. While international workers' organizations and the United Nations agree on shared workplace goals, many local governments ignore their findings.

"The spectrum of debate worldwide has shifted dramatically to the right," she said. "What most of us knew as the left is now the center. Unless there is a way for people on the ground to network through organizations, global economic forces will look only for low-corporate overhead and low labor costs."

Church World Service has also monitored the impact of globalization on local cultures. Ms. Rajyashri Waghray, Director of CSW's Education and Advocacy, admonished governments for abdicating their role to civil society. "Today it seems we only need the State be elected and to defend us. Governments are not expected to act when globalization breaks down communities and culture."

Labor leaders understand the loss of civil society. Today 12% of workers belong to unions, compared to close to 40% following World War II, according to Alan Kauffman of the Communications Workers of America.

Dilemma for religious leaders

It is difficult for even those religious leaders involved in workplace ministry to take a firm stand. The Rev. Jean R. Smith, SCI's executive director, has served a global community of seafarers for 13 years. "The various factions surrounding globalization are asking us to stand staunchly by their political agenda. Are we for American jobs to the exclusion of workers from developing nations? Do we stand by silently as we see seafarers paid exceedingly different pay scales for the same work? An easy answer to such complex questions means that nobody wins. Keeping the Institute's doors open to all sides means that at least there will be a place for debate" said Smith.

Marge Christie of Christ Episcopal Church, Ridgewood, New Jersey, took a more cynical view of the lack of debate in faith communities. "Apathy is directly related to this issue's complexity,” she explained. “We can certainly mobilize around issue of sexuality; why not find a way to connect to progressive religious ethics?"

Dr. Louie Crew, a member of the Episcopal Church's Executive Council and Grace Church, Newark, New Jersey, found the message to religious leaders sobering. "This is like an Intensive Care Unit response to a Christian conscience that has lost its vital signs in the community."

The close connection between globalization and church funding was not lost on some in the audience. Endowment income and pension plans are linked to the revenues generated by a stock market dominated by global corporations. The Rev. Thomas A. Kerr, Jr., canon to the ordinary in the Diocese of New Jersey, hoped that conferences like this could spark the start of difficult discussions within parishes.

"Individuals who have decision-making capabilities depend on investments. That individual's economic status affects how money is viewed. It may be hard to get a conversation going about ethics," said Kerr.

The Rev. Geoffrey Curtiss, rector of All Saints' in Hoboken and a member of the Jubilee Interfaith Organizing Committee in New Jersey, encouraged networking. "There are established networks of social justice being laid throughout our region. We all need to get involved. People of faith need to build another constituency for social change that builds community and does not reward greed."

The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is the catalyst for such conversations throughout the country. As a convener for a wide variety of groups, UNA-USA provides a bipartisan forum for analysis and discussion on a wide range of global issues (www.unausa.org). The Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey advocates for the personal, professional and spiritual well being of mariners. Established in 1834, SCI is an ecumenical agency affiliated with the Episcopal Church. (www.seamenschurch.org)