The All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendants of Post Offices (AIAIASP) commemorated International Youth Day 2009 with the seminar under the theme of Trade Union Rights and ILO Mechanisms.

It is important topics to be shared to young workers that trade union rights and dignity at workplace need to be protected. Young workers have a same rights as other employees (senior). The union also shared on the role and responsible of the organisation to protect the rights of workers. This seminar aimed that young workers could able to speak up strongly to extend their rights at work, and actively participate in building of the unions as organisations that put workers’ rights first. It was also awareness campaign on unionism, if they join union it will better representation, protection and opportunity to influence working conditions in the workplace than that provided by union.

International Youth Day 2009 message from Mohnish Dutt, Youth Wing Secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress (FTUC). The key message highlighted the importance of the youth to taking part on the formulation of the decent work country program with trade union perspective in order to ensure the frame work being developed and incorporated with following issues: unemployment, Child Labour, employable skills building, gender equality, decent work opportunities and societal issues such as Reproductive Health and HIV AIDS.  Detail about the message, click here

The celebration of this year’s International Youth Day, the Philippines Government Employees’ Association (PGEA) together with its Youth Council (PYC) conducted a forum on “issues and concerns of young public sector workers”. The forum was held at Bayview Park Hotel, Manila, Philippines on August 13, 2009.

This forum was to raise and promote awareness young people for their active participation in the unions/association. The forum allowed them to use their voice to share and discuss major issues/concerns facing young workers in the public sector.

Number distinguished resource persons was invited to provide an overview of said issues and concerns: Hon. Mary Ann Fernandez (Commissioner, Civil Service Commission), Hon. Teresa Soriano (Assistant Secretary, Dept. of Labor and Employment, Hon. Priscilla Marie Abante (Commissioner, National Youth Commission) and Prof. Serafin Arviola, Jr. (Director for Youth Affairs, United Nations’ Association of the Philippines).

For more information, please contact Mr. Eross Ocampo (National Youth Coordinator/Adviser): eross_pgea@yahoo.com

On 12    August 2009 Hind Mahila Sabha (Indian Women’s Association) organised a seminar on  the  issue  of  participation  and  role  of  Young  workers  in  Trade  Union  activities.  The  one day seminar was attended by youth from various sections of society along with distinguished speakers  who  contributed  their  views  in  regard  to  the  greater  role  youth  tend  to  play in  the globalised  world  and  the  need  of  more  young  workers  at  the  leadership  positions.  The seminar was followed by a round table discussion on the PSI theme of “More jobs, better jobs for young workers” which identified the following goals:

• Need of greater youth participation in the trade union activities and improving access to   information   in   order   to   enable   young   people   to   make   better   use   of   their opportunities to participate in decision-making;
• Developing and strengthening opportunities for young people to learn their rights and responsibilities,  promoting  their  social,  political,  developmental  and  environmental participation in  attainment of Millennium Development Goals;
• Taking   into   account the   contribution   of   youth   in   designing,   implementing   and evaluating national policies and plans affecting their concerns.

For more info please contact Ms. Abha Chaturvedi, HMS President: abha_hms@yahoo.com

The theme for International Youth Day 2009 is “More jobs, better jobs for young workers!” PSI is taking the opportunity to call on young workers to join and get active in the trade union movement and on the trade union movement to reach out to young workers. The views, ideas and participation of young workers are vital to meeting the most pressing challenges of today’s globalised world, including precarious work, rising unemployment and increasing poverty. PSI is working with young workers at a regional, sub-regional and national levels to find innovative ways for them to participate in trade union activities. Click here to read the PSI statement.