On February 10th 2023, with a press conference for journalists and the holding of the kick – off meeting of the consortium, the Trade union of UPOZ, together with eight partners from Europe and the region, began the implementation of a project co-financed by the European Union, and part of the Erasmus + program.
The main goal of the project, which is entitled “Trade Union New Imoetus For Youth Participation”, will be to strengthen the participation of young people in the Trade Unions, through education and training.
The emphasis placed on young people and their participation is not accidental.
The latest European statistics say that the average age of the members of the Trade Unions is from 45 to 50 years old, and the percentage of people who join the trade unions under the age of 25 has significantly decreased.
“There are many reasons for this situation, but the main factors for this are that young people do not recognize trade unions as organizations of interest, nor as organizations that can offer them protection of their rights. Unions, on the other hand, even though they know that they need young people to survive, almost none of them do not include young people to be part of the bodies of the unions, so that young people are not involved at all in the decision-making process in the unions. This is exactly what we want to change” – said the President of the Union of UPOZ Trpe Deanoski.
Since this problem is faced by a large part of the trade unions in Europe and the region, this project led by the Trade union of UPOZ includes partner organizations from eight countries, namely:
The youth development center from R. Serbia, the Youth Plus Union from Slovenia; United Society of Balkans from Greece, Hizmet-Ish Trade Union from Turkey, Institute of Philosophy and Social Theory, at the University of Belgrade from R. Serbia, the Trade Union Center for Education and Training from Skopje, the Trade Union of the Administration and Justice of Montenegro and the Trade Union of the Administration of Republika Srpska.
President Deanoski, at the beginning, mentioned that first a comprehensive research will be carried out, which will target young people from 5 countries in order to find out what are the reasons for the inactivity and non-participation of young people in trade unions. After the results of the research, a curriculum and a Trade Union Academy will be prepared, through which future young trade union leaders will be trained, which will transfer the acquired knowledge to their own countries.
In the further course of the project, through a study visit to Ljubljana, Slovenia, young trade unionists will have the opportunity to get to know the work of the Trade Union Mladi Plus, as a positive example of youth trade unionism, thus they will learn even more how young people can get involved in the work of the trade unions.
The result of the research and the curriculum will be presented to relevant structures in Brussels emphasizing the importance of the Trade Unions and their youth sections, and especially to recognize the need for training and education of the youth.
Finally, the entire result will be presented at a large final conference in Skopje, to which a large number of European trade unions representatives and representatives of the European Union and other relevant factors will be invited.
“Many of the young people would ask for slightly lower salaries, if they knew that they would feel safe in the working environment, without mobbing and with respect for their rights. It is a prerequisite for young people to stay,” said Alexandra Knežević, program director of the Youth Development Center.
The Director of the National Agency for European Educational Programs and Mobility, Marko Gjeorgjievski, also addressed the audience, who expressed great satisfaction that an organization from North Macedonia, received a grant directly from the headquarters of the Council of Europe, will contribute to the education of young members. He also pointed out that the National Agency is open to the trade union of UPOZ, for any help with the aim of successful implementation of the project activities.
During the entire duration of the project, a comprehensive campaign with the title TRADE UNIONS ARE IN – GET INVOLVED, ENGAGE, ACT, will be carried out through social networks, and will be for young people to get to know the advantages of membership in unions.