At the 13th TWARO (the Asian and Pacific Regional Organisation of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation) Regional Conference held last year in Bangkok, a resolution to promote more active youth participation in TWARO was adopted unanimously. The resolution stressed the need to organize more young workers and train them up to take future leadership in our movement. Now, how do we approach young workers? To get a hint to this question, TWARO conducted a questionnaire on Trade Union Youth Activity among its affiliates.

Almost all the unions responded to the questionnaire pointed out the tough reality surrounding young workers in their respective country, and revealed the negative spiral they were caught into. Most young workers lacked training opportunities, so they were stuck in low-wage jobs and were offered only unstable employment. Their wages were so low that they have to work long hours to make a living, and this gave no time left for them to get involved in union activities. Their rights at the workplaces were easily denied, because they did not know their rights. They would not dream of the possibility they could change their situations through trade unions. The bottom line was that youth were not fully integrated into union activities. UI Zensen, a TWARO affiliate in Japan, is challenging this question.

The union has set up a new organization for its youth members five years ago to approach the younger generation in the union. The basic idea underlying the union’s efforts is to “Enjoy! Build up a circle of friends!” The union’s major challenge is to organize events that are fun and attractive enough to bring in as many youth members as possible. But the hardest part of it, according to UI Zensen, is that each event must end up gaining something more than just fun.

Further information, please email TWARO: twaro@st.rim.or.jp