Getting young workers on board in the industry and in the union

The event provided industriAll Europe’s youth with the possibility to exchange with representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament, employers, civil society activists and trade union leaders. Among the panelist were:

• MEP Alicia Homs Ginel, S&D, Spain TBC
• Chiara Riondino, DG Employment, European Commission TBC
• Eleonora Diprisco, Youth Representative, UILTEC  TBC
• Diego Andreis, Vice President, Ceemet TBC
• Representative from the European Youth Forum TBC

Three main key conclusions emerged from the event:

1. The difficulties of young people did not start with the COVID-19 crisis, but they were aggravated by the economic and social consequences of the pandemic. Policymakers, employers, trade unions and civil society organistions have a collective responsibility to ensure that the recovery works for young people as well. Collective bargaining is the social partners' instrument to use to take them on board in the labour market, to ensure that they can access quality jobs and get equal treatment.
    
2. Today's young generation is not a lost one, it is the highest-skilled that we have ever seen. Young people need to be taken on board in the industry and at the workplace by receiving quality offers of vocational education, training and employment. They need good quality jobs where they can both learn and transfer their digital skills.
    
3. Intergenerational solidarity is the key for a successful recovery and for a just twin digital and green transition. This facilitates the access of young people to employment, enables the transfer of know-how between older and younger workers, but also promote reverse mentoring through which young workers support older ones to acquire digital skills. Trade unions must also support a generational renewal and step up their efforts to recruit and organise young people and to take them on board in the labour movement structures.

Further information

You can also find a brief report by industriAll here