EPSU youth attend ETUC youth event in Lisbon

(12 November 2021)  This week, members of the EPSU youth network took part in an ETUC youth event in Lisbon. The event, organised in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, focused on youth as the future of the trade union movement.

The event was a good opportunity for young unionists to meet in person after nearly two years of online discussions and learn from one another by exchanging ideas and best practices. 

Attendees first heard about the proposed ETUC youth quota, which would strengthen the youth representation in ETUC congress delegations. This was an item on the agenda of the ETUC mid-term conference, which coincided with the youth event. The majority at the mid-term conference, including EPSU, voted in in favour of adopting the youth quota.

At the youth event, youth members were also able to put questions to ETUC leaders as to whether youth is really the future of trade unions and what they are willing to do to ensure this. A number of interesting ideas were discussed and there was a strong commitment from the leaders to strengthen youth involvement.