Actueel
19-03-2011: Interreligieuze viering:
Zie Brabants Dagblad 11 maart 2011
Dossier MSD:
4 maart 2011: Pastoor Zeegers doopt MSD tot Medical Social Disaster.
Zie Brabants Dagblad 4 maart 2011
Solidariteitstocht en alternatieve eucharistieviering
Zie Brabants Dagblad
4 mei Dodenherdenking Oss
Brief aan Merck USA
Raad van Kerken OSS e.o.
To: New Jersey Council of Churches *
176 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608 – 1104
And New Jersey Catholic Conference *
149 North Warren Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Brothers and Sisters,
Oss is a medium size town in the Southern part of The Netherlands. It counts about 70,000 inhabitants. One of the older and largest employers is the pharmaceutical company Organon, which was recently acquired by Merck & Co. The headquarters of Merck & Co is in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.
Recently the executive board of Merck & Co decided to stop all Research & Development (R&D) activities (1000 employees) in Oss and in addition to reduce the workforce in production with 1100 employees. The Organon R&D is a rather unique scientific center with highly educated scientist who work on the discovery and development of new drugs. The center is world-wide recognized for its achievements in drug discovery, specifically for women's health. Organon has been a profitable company for more than 85 years. Despite this track-record Merck & Co have decided to stop R&D and move projects to the USA. Consequently, for all these employees with many years of education and dedication towards the creation of new medicines the future is uncertain and there is little hope they can continue working on their important task.
It is our opinion as Council of Churches that with this - using the words of the bible - neither the duty of every christian to use his/her talents, nor the responsibility that also a company has to do its very best to care for their fellow-man is recognized or respected. For non-christians we appeal to the moral duty to take social responsibility.
The council of Churches in Oss asks you as our brothers and sisters to support us in our struggle to keep employment of 2100 employees, but specifically to appeal to the board of Merck & Co to take their responsibility for the company as a christian or as a human being. The closing of R&D with about 1000 employees will delay the discovery and development of new drugs that are important for mankind.
Not using the capacity of such a large group of scientists and specialists is in fact unthinkable in a world that needs so much more research. In addition it is a waste of capital both for individual scientists personally, who have put so much effort in education and training, as well as for society.
It is estimated that the decision by the Board will also significantly impact many businesses and institutes that exist either in part or completely because of the revenues obtained by performing work for Merck & Co in Oss. The number of people affected is a multitude of the 2000 employees directly affected. Of course this also counts for the large group of family members, partners and children, who are heading towards a period of great uncertainty.
For the reasons mentioned above we kindly ask you to support us and communicate on behalve of us your concern regarding these decisions, that are as it looks now only needed for optimisation of profits, to the Board of Merck & Co.
Given the large medical/scientific and personal/social consequences of the decision mentioned above, we hope that you are willing to discuss our request at very short notice. We would appreciate to be informed about the way you want to communicate your concerns to the Board of Merck & Co.
In case you wish to spread this message to a larger group in order to obtain support we kindly give you our permission.
With brotherly and sisterly regards,
Rev. J. van Drie
President Council of Churches Oss
M.D.van Wendel de Joode
Secretary
· In The Nertherlands are ánd the Roman Catholic Church ánd the Protestants Churches member of the “Council of Churches in The Netherlands”
· This letter is also sent
to rev. dr. Michael Kinnamon of the National Council of Churches in The United States