With the objective of reaching out to more youths and strengthening the East Asia family, the very first East Asia Youth Network was convened on 2 March 2010 in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia. At the meeting, subregional secretary of East Asia, Mr Koichi Ito, introduced the PSI youth policy and resolution 20 which had been adopted by the Executive Board on succession planning and on its main purpose and also on how the East Asia region will be  supporting PSI activities and goals for the benefit of the young workers.

Ms. V. Lakshmi, our newly appointed Regional Secretary also spoke to the young workers representatives in support of the PSI youth policy, its main aims, campaigns and activities. She said “by strengthening solidarity with other sub-regions and regions, we will be able to preserve, as well as nurture, the next generation by sharing experiences and knowledge.”

Ms. Tan Sze Wei, APYN coordinator then followed up with a presentation on the Asia Pacific Youth Network and its activities and goals. She shared what the Network had done, explained how the APYN began and described the impact the Network has had up till today. Without a doubt, the APYN had a formidable outreach and the participants were certainly impressed and all pledged to build it up further. None of us doubted that we as young workers have a very relevant and important role to play for the future of the labour movement.

Many new friendships were forged as young worker representatives from the East Asian affiliates: Japan, Mongolia,  South Korea and Taiwan shared issues relating to young workers from their countries and mingled among themselves freely. They sincerely hope that the meeting will continue to be held annually.

The new Network elected their new coordinators: Ms. Hong Soo Jung from KNEW, Korea and Ms. Tomohiro Hasegawa from JPSU, Japan. They will work together with other coordinators in this region. This above report was prepared by Tan Sze Wei participating on behalf of APYN. For more information, please contact Mr. Koichi Ito, EA Sub-regional Secretary: itok@psi-jc.jp

The ITUC is relaunching its youth blog and is launching the campaign’s brochure. The Youth blog comes with a redesign, new functionalities such as Facebook and Twitter sharing as well as a special campaign section.

The brochure is a best practice guide on organising young people and is aimed at informing young people in trade unions about the wide range of work covered by trade unions at the international, regional and national level. The brochure is available for download on the campaign section of the blog. If you would like to receive printed copies for your union members, please contact us.

On the campaign section of the blog, you will also find various others links and tools such as Joe’s pictures for your websites and publications as well as Joe’s ringtones for mobile phones. Don’t forget to say thank you to Joe by becoming a fan on Facebook or by watching his video

Twenty seven selected young unionists from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand were actively participated in attractive and interactive training workshop on leadership and capacity building. The training workshop was held in Puncak, West Java, Indonesia from 18 to 22 July 2009. Sharing, learning and active participation were the theme to reflect diversities of languages, cultures and experiences.

The intensive five days training workshop were incorporated of balanced program which involved social, physical and mental activities at the training camp in Lembah Hijau Resort Puncak, West Java, Indonesia.

The training workshop was designed to develop creative thinking, leadership skills, broaden perspectives and strengthen the young workers network in South East Asia. 

Continue reading →

By Katie Rowsell, CPSU Organiser (Australia) and PSI Oceania Youth Network Coordinator

Once upon a time there was a new generation of worker. They were focused and knew what they wanted out of their careers. They had a high level of education, and equally high levels of student debt. They were technologically savvy and were frustrated when their parents couldn’t work the DVD player. They had been brought up by parents - both working and earning an income and who wanted their children to have EVERYTHING! When this generation started school, girls and boys alike were told “You can be anything you want to be” and they were confident that this was indeed the case. They basically got taught that they were the centre of their own little universe.

Suddenly, the new generation workers left the cocoon of family life and education and stepped out into the big wide world. The previous generations of workers could not understand them. They seemed to have no loyalty, flitting from job to job for more pay. Lifestyle came before their duty to work. They even checked that new fangled thing called Facebook during work time! The older generations thought “We’ll just have to ignore them and hope they grow up some day.”

Continue reading →

“Women and youth have similar impacts on market liberalisation and privatisation, in particularly public services. In many countries, there are gap between the poor and the rich. Decent work on gender equality and youth should be the center of the labour market, ” said Ms. Masako Uemoto, AP WOC Vice-Chair on her message opened Asia Pacific Regional Organisation joint workshop ” Trade Union, Gender and Youth”. The joint workshop was organised by AP Women’s Committee, AP Youth Network and Cambodian affiliate union was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 6th April 2009. Forty nine participants were actively involved on discussion and sharing to carry out the objective of the workshop:

• To strengthen the efforts promoting gender equality and equal opportunities;
• To coordinate the exchange information and share best experience on strengthening the committee/network;
• To work on responding common global trends affecting women and youth

Two resource persons was invited, Mr. Alonzo G. Suson (ACILS, Country Program Director in Cambodia) - click here for his presentation - and Mr. Nuon Veasna (ILO Workers’ Education Project in Cambodia) and presented situation regarding Cambodia Labour Movement and the Trade Union Rights of Public Sector Workers in Cambodia - click here  for his presentation -.  Continue reading →

The 2nd Asia Pacific Youth Network (APYN) meeting was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on April 6, 2009. Fifteen  people, the coordinators and observers (Japan and Cambodia affiliates), was attended the meeting. Prior to the meeting, the youth participated the workshop jointly organised by the AP Women Committee, APYN and Cambodian affiliate on “Trade Union, Gender and Youth”.

Detail of the meeting please contact: indah.budiarti@world-psi.org