As we celebrate the theme “Green skills for youth: Towards a sustainable world” for International Youth Day 2023, the IUF renews our commitment to ensuring that Young Workers have access to quality apprenticeships as a key piece of creating a just transition. As our industries change because of the climate crisis, automation and digitalization, young workers must have access to quality apprenticeships and education.
However, the right to develop skills must also mean the right to secure jobs, safe and healthy workplaces and a fair compensation. The trade union movement must redouble its efforts to organize and mobilize young workers.
At our 28th Congress in June, the IUF recommitted to prioritizing space for young workers to lead the trade union movement, to strategize the path forward and to actively organize more young workers into unions. As part of this effort, the IUF Young Workers Committee has defined four areas of work: Organize & Grow, or Die (external workplace organizing); Our Work, Our Future (Training, Policy and Lobbying); Building a network of young worker leaders; and Making our voices heard (internal organizing).
On International Youth Day 2023, we recognize that the sustainable world we all envision is our collective responsibility, but today’s youth and young workers are an incredible resource we must recognize, celebrate and empower.
