Project:

The YOUnion - Union for Youth project aims at analysing the dilemma of youth participation in trade unions in seven countries - Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom, focusing on unexplored sides of the relationship between young people and trade unions and addressing four main questions:
How can trade unions better represent youth interests?
How can trade unions adequately reach out to the young, both those in and outside the labour market?
How can trade unions better organise young people?
How can trade unions provide voice to young people in collective bargaining?

The main research questions will be answered through a country-based analysis of:
- the specific interests of young workers and young job seekers that could potentially be represented by trade unions, moving beyond facile assumptions that are often made and distinguishing among different sectors, with particular attention to new economy sectors;
- successful and unsuccessful examples of trade union's efforts to organise young workers, distinguishing among specific sectors;
- trade union communication strategies towards young people, pros and cons in this respect, with specific attention to social media;
- initiatives undertaken by trade unions to provide voice to young people in unions and collective bargaining.
The survey will provide an in-depth analysis of trade union activities that have been specifically aimed at (1) increasing youth membership levels and youth participation in union organisations; (2) increasing representation of young people in collective bargaining at the national, sectoral and local level and (3) improving youth position in the labour market.
YOUnion is a project co-funded by the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, budget heading 04.03.03.01, Industrial Relations and Social Dialogue.
Visit the collaboration platform for the project here