7th meeting of the EPSU youth network

(13 October 2015) Young trade unionists from over 20 public service unions across Europe met in Madrid last week (6/10/2015). 17 countries were represented in a meeting to discuss the future objectives of the network.

Eddie Stam, an experienced trade union organizer from Abvakabo-FNV in the Netherlands, gave a presentation on organising which touched on themes of unionising young and precarious workers, publicity and social media and innovative ways of taking action. There was an exchange of ideas and experiences from the countries represented and a discussion on some of the similarities and differences in the challenges faced by young trade unionists across Europe.

A steering committee was elected which will now investigate how EPSU youth can take action to ensure that the European Union’s youth guarantee provides quality training and jobs in public services. The group will also look into the issues of education to work transition and how to activate young members in unions and come up with action plans for how the youth network can meet these challenges. The problems of recruitment of young workers into public services, quality training and precarity effect many European countries. The Network hopes to develop a strategy to address these problems for young public service workers across Europe.

The steering group will work on its proposals with the aim of beginning to take action on one or more of these challenges in the new year.