Full of energy, willing to learn and engage more in youth trade unions’ actions while believing in themselves and their ideas of building a better future for themselves in the transport industry. Moreover, being ready to fight and protect transport workers’ rights! It is what our ETF Youth representatives brought in Brussels during the second week of January at the ETF – ETUI Young Workers Academy and ETF Youth Committee.
The Academy was the perfect opportunity for our young transport workers to learn about the importance of trade union action at the European level. The programme was based on interactive activities and covered topics including campaigning, EU institutions, project management, and the smart use of communications. They also visited the Parlamentarium, which shows in an interactive manner how the European Parliament works.
Following the Academy, the ETF Youth Committee held its first statutory meeting after the Congress. Based on the changes decided at the Congress, the meeting was open to all our affiliates under 35 years of age.
The discussions focus on the implementation of the work programme and the four priorities of the youth work: platform economy, LGBTQI+, fight against the far right and the promotion of youth structures within the ETF-affiliated unions.
On Thursday, 19 January, our youth joined the national strike in France against pension reform. We marched with the French workers in Lille, asking for social justice.
Our following events this year will include participation in a sports competition organised by our Polish colleagues and the Youth Summer School. If you want to be in the loop, please drop an e-mail to j.maurer@etf-europe.org to make sure you are on our mailing list.