Trade Unions attract young people
Workshop Turin
18th of December 2009
Mike De Herdt
ABVV – FGTB
Youth coordinator Flanders
Workshop Turin 18th of December 2009
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Some Belgian numbers
- Federal state - 3 languages/regions
- Negociations (with or without government) at all levels
- Population:
10.000.000
- Working people:
6.000.000
- Unionization:
3.400.000 = about 65 %
- 3 Trade union federations:
 ABVV-FGTB :
1.400.000 members
 ACV-CSC :
1.600.000 members
 ACLVB-CGLSB: 400.000 members
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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Some ABVV-FGTB numbers
Members:
1.400.000
Students:
40.000
Working youth (-35 y)
500.000
Young working activists
3.000
7 branch unions
= 1 white collar + 5 blue collar + 1 government-employed
17 regional federations
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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The beginning
 Federation Founded in 1898, unions started in 1885
 First youth activities 1932
 In the 50-ies ABVV-FGTB created 3 youth structures
- Services for students – information
- Young (Working) Activists (no students)
- Organising military recruits
( they got rigths too ! )
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Since the 50ies
 No more organising military recruits (obliged service
was abolished in 1993)
 4 organisations left, became 2 (only French & Dutch)
 Subsidies of the government (youth organisations)
 30 years focus on services & trying to organise
students, but not on the working youth
 last 5 years new formula
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“New” formula
Each organisation => 2 main goals = 2 strategees
 Free membership for students
= MAGIK?
=> info (membermagazine)
=> aid/assistance with student-job-related issues
 Organise young activists
= WORKING CLASS HEROES
=> They work & are active already
=> Inform, educate, positions
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Budget & Organisation
 2 organisations: FGTB-jeunes + ABVV-jongeren
French-speaking + Dutch-speaking
 Each has a comparable budget
- 70% Government, based on regulations, decreasing
- 30% Trade union, based on membership numbers, increasing
- 80% staff budget 20% working budget
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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Staff for 2 organisations (Belgium)
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2 x 1 coördinator
2 x 5 people national office
2 x 10 people in regional offices
No volonteers working in our offices
They are active on their own working spots
Volunteers = Working Class Heroes
= Young working activists
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Students
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Free membership
40.000 in total
Membership & services only
no structure, no meetings or activities
Special “brand” = Magik?
www.magik.be
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Activities for Students
 Services, no other activities
= info on financing studies
= info & help if a student works…
- part-time, trainees
- weekends, holidays
 Communication:
- Colourfull (people and background),
genderbalanced,
- Posters, flyers, little books
- Member-magazine (Magik?)
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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Young working activists
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Re-started to work with them in 2006
Pay membership to branch unions
Join network freely : a network, no structure
3000 ‘members” (Belgium)
Special ‘brand” = Working Class heroes
www.workingclassheroes.be
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Activities Young working activists
3 activities
1. Informing them (get information quickly, positions,
actions)
2. Joining them & education (weekends, workshops)
3. Extra campaigns during social elections
(posters, working class night)
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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Influence on decision-making
who?
Starting up Youth commissions on all levels.
Example: Flemisch youth commission
Who?
 All youth organisation staff members
 50% young delegates of regions
 50% young delegates of branch unions
Based on membership numbers of each
Meeting 4 times a year
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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Influence on decision-making
what?
Strictly youth issues
 => take a position publicly
 Change legislation on student work
 Change policies on youth employment
General policies (within trade union or in general)
 => Advise the formal trade union structures
 => Not publicly, respect internal democracy
 Debate on retirement ….
 How to modernise out trade union
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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Cooperations in Belgium
With other trade union youth
 Actions on youth unemployment / working conditions
 Actions to present ourselves in schools (promo Magik?)
With others
 Youth organisations (youth parliament / services)
 NGO/ONG => decent work campaign (www.ilo.org)
 www.sharkmark.be
Workshop Kiev 6-9th of October
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International
cooperations
 Representatives in ETUC & ITUC
 Trainings / workshops for ILO-initiatives
 European Social Fora, World Social Fora and World Climate
fora (Copenhagen, dec 2009)
 Associations with other trade union youth – visit each other
 YES… www.youngeuropeansociety.eu Belgian + Swedish
 We are planning to do this more in the near future
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HOW TO GET STARTED ?
1. Analyze youth - trade-union - relationship
Their position towards AND within the trade union(s).
Membership, activism, popularity, youth issues approach
2. Bring the (mostly bad) numbers to responsables
(why is it important to do something)
3. Make a plan with strategies and goals
(what, when, who & numbers)
4. Attach a realististic budget
5. Keep on trying & fighting – persevere !
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