This project aimed to address the pressing challenges faced by young workers across Europe, including precarious work, low-quality jobs, and limited access to union representation. Through a combination of research, advocacy training, and localized action plans, it sought to empower young people and enhance the capacity of trade unions to engage with youth. By supporting five national focal points, the project drove forward innovative solutions to promote decent work, strengthen union presence, and amplify youth voices in policy debates at both national and EU levels.
The heart of the project lies in the dynamic efforts of our five national focal points in Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia. These dedicated teams implemented innovative actions to tackle youth employment challenges, empower young workers, and promote quality jobs across Europe. Here’s a closer look at their impactful initiatives:
Spain: RUGE (Youth Section of UGT)
RUGE focused on empowering young people to engage with unionism through:
- A mobile app to register working hours, ensuring transparency and combating wage theft. (ANDROID/APPLE)
- A social media campaign using videos and infographics to highlight labor rights, union importance, and social dialogue outcomes.
- A strong presence at the May Day protests, featuring branded materials and a visible youth block to promote union activism.
Italy: CISL
The Italian focal point centered its efforts on combating precarious work by:
- Organizing a youth event with young people to gather insights on their employment challenges.
- Find here pictures from the event.
- Find here the presentations of the event.
- Find here the report of the event
Poland: OPZZ
The Polish focal point, NSZZ "Solidarność," implemented three key actions to address education reforms and raise awareness about labor market issues among young people. The first action involved analyzing the educational curriculum to propose legislative changes, aiming to enhance students' understanding of labor market conditions and improve internships. The second action focused on an informational campaign targeting youth through video spots, infographics, and media articles to reach over 200,000 people. The third action entailed developing recommendations for educational reforms and sending them to the Ministry of Education, coupled with media engagement to amplify the message.
- Find here the letter to the ministry.
- Find here the report of the awareness campaign.
- Find here the campaign video.
- Find here the policy recommendations.
Romania: BNS Romania
BNS Romania's focal point centered its efforts on combating precarious work by:
- Organzing a youth event with young people to gather insights on their employment challenges.
- Find here pictures from the event.
Slovenia: Mladi Plus
Mladi Plus took a multi-faceted approach to address precarious work. They advocated for a national strategy against precarious jobs, engaging with government ministries and conducted a media campaign to raise awareness of youth labor issues. They counted on public interventions and presentations for instance in faculties or on 1st May protests.
- Find here the booklet on violation in the labour market
- Find here the declaration against precarity.
- Find here the 1st May leaflet.
- Find here a list of media articles
- Find here some pictures of events and deliverables.
Driving Change Together
Each focal point brought unique perspectives and innovative approaches to tackling youth labor issues, making this project a testament to the power of collaboration. By equipping young workers with knowledge and tools, these actions paved the way for a stronger, more inclusive future for Europe’s workforce.