CONCLUSIONS
The Seminar participants demand that their governments pay close attention to youth policies,
particularly with regard to youth employment. Such efforts should be supported by institutions,
policies and programmes that create the conditions for national economic and employment growth
in general, and for young persons in particular.
The Seminar participants emphasize that sustainable economic and employment growth is an
important precondition for improving the labour market situation of young people in the sub-region.
It is essential that governments, trade unions and employers engage in dialogue with and involve
young people in the question of youth employment if policies are to be truly relevant to the young
people of today and tomorrow.
Trade unions commit themselves to engage with governments and employers on the formulation
and implementation such policies. It is critical that trade unions take action to:
1. Strengthen representation of young workers within trade unions

Undertaking studies of the present situation of young people in the labour market and
identify problem areas and obstacles for young people in joining unions. On this basis, trade
unions should then create programmes for young people that truly address their concerns and
needs;

Organizing public debate forums for young people in order to attract young people to the
unions;

Organizing joint meetings between young trade union activists and leaders of trade unions
on a regular basis in order to reach common objectives and goals, while undertaking joint
efforts to address the needs and concerns of young people;

Including young people at all levels of the movement: executive boards, committees,
delegations, congresses, collective bargaining and negotiation teams, training and education
programmes;

Addressing the needs and protecting the rights of young workers in the informal economy;

Strengthening women’s and youth sections within trade union confederations; prioritizing
and allocating financial and human resources to youth sections (e.g. through special annual
budgets for youth sections);

Encouraging joint initiatives between youth sections and other structures within national
centres (e.g. initiatives on young women, in partnership with the women’s section);

Allowing trade union initiatives and campaigns – whether or not on youth related issues – to
be led by young people;

Consolidating the national trade union movement, improving cooperation in general and
coordination on issues related to young workers;
1

Building alliances with other agents of civil society, including NGOs dealing with gender
and youth.
2. Build capacities to strengthen trade union expertise on labour market policies and human
resources development

Identifying people within the trade union, particularly in the youth sections, who have
expertise in a targeted issue (e.g. youth employment);

Strengthening expertise in the area of macroeconomic policy and labour market issues, and
building strong expertise in human resource development and training;

Allocating space for young people in trade union education and training programmes (e.g.
creating a quota of 15% of participants for any programme to be young trade union
activists);

Strengthening links and joint initiatives with educational institutions and universities
relating to the promotion of youth employment;

Enhancing the motivation of trade union experts to engage in analysis and policy
formulation on active labour market policies and training for young workers.
3. Strengthen trade unions’ participation in social dialogue on youth employment policies at the
national level

Promoting the effective operation of tripartite institutions of social dialogue at the national
level;

Involving young people as well as their concerns and needs in social dialogue, particularly in
relation to youth employment issues;

Promoting the interests of young people through contributing strong expertise to the work of
various committees at these institutions;

Lobbying for affordable and accessible education of quality for all young people;

Promoting a legal and institutional framework addressing the needs of young people,
including youth employment;

Initiating and supporting government policy to improve and increase investment in training
and emphasize the importance of life-long learning;

Contributing to policy development and to the strengthening of education and training
institutions and workplace-based training, in order to ensure the effective school-to-work
transition of young people.
2
4. Promote the interests of young workers through collective bargaining


Providing training for young trade union activists on collective bargaining;
Engaging in collective bargaining at all levels, including stronger representation for young
people in negotiating teams. Such collective bargaining should encompass issues such as:
 Ensuring equal access for all workers, including young people, to skills required by the
enterprise and the economy;
 Training, retraining and continuous training necessary for all workers, including young
persons;
 The development of career paths for young workers;
 Individual training and development plans for young workers;
 Facilities and support services needed to allow the maximum benefits from learning and
training.
5. The role of regional and international cooperation

The ILO should explore the possibility of providing further technical assistance in the area
of youth employment;

The ILO should play a key role in monitoring the situation of young people, both in trade
unions and in the labour market;

The ILO should strive to ensure spaces are created at meetings, seminars and workshops for
young trade union activists;

The ILO should assist national centres in setting up national training seminars on collective
bargaining for youth sections and other related youth employment issues;

The ILO can play a role in exerting strong pressure on its members (governments, trade
unions and employers) to make the youth employment issue a key priority;

International trade union cooperation and the exchange of good practices should be
strengthened by working with international trade union organizations in order to enhance
their capacity to facilitate the creation of platforms for young trade unionists to share
experiences, expertise and concerns on youth related issues.
3