ITUC launches young people’s campaign

The International Trade Union Confederation has launched a new campaign to connect global trade union work to the recruitment and organizing of young people.

The new campaign uses a range of tools, including video, social networking, posters and websites, as well as a special campaign guide.

Research in many countries has shown that young peoples’ attitudes on the issues trade unions deal with have not changed greatly over the years, but that changes in the workforce, technology and society have meant that unions need to reach out to young people in different ways than in the past. By joining a union, young people can influence issues and events that they are concerned about at a global level, as well as improving their own working lives.

Since unions organize and recruit in different ways in different countries and sectors, the campaign offers an additional aspect to the traditional recruitment arguments by focusing on the international aspect of being member of a trade union and relating this to young peoples’ own personal experiences.

Trade union organizations are able to pick and choose from a menu of ingredients to include in the campaigns, actions or activities that they are already doing in their country. It also provides materials in different formats to help unions start new outreach efforts aimed at youth.

The Canadian Labour Congress is hosting the World Congress of the International Trade Union Confederation at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre from June 20 – 25, 2010. The ITUC is the world trade union body to which the CLC is affiliated, and the successor to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), our historical world affiliation. The CLC is very proud to be hosting this prestigious Congress. Its theme is  “Now the People – From the Crisis to Global Justice”.

The World Congress will have approximately 1200 delegates from around the world, plus several hundred observers.