“Young people no longer find their way to the union,” people sometimes say.

It used to be an obvious thing for a young girl or lad going to work to join the union at the same time. A bit like Bruce Springsteen sings in The River: “For my nineteenth birthday, I got a union card and a wedding coat.”

That natural reflex may be going backwards. The question is whether young people are not finding their way to the union or whether the union is missing the connection with young people.

In my union, 10,955 members are under the age of 35. That’s 20 per cent of our membership. So no problem in terms of connecting young people. But getting them active in the union is harder. Maybe that’s not because of the young people, but because of us?

However, since 2017, the port of Antwerp has had a thriving youth work force. The young dockworkers meet regularly. It is an introduction to the union, a relaxed run-up to discuss political issues, workplace problems and the challenges of the port. The group consists of around 30 young men and women and the initiative was emulated in the other seaports. Those young people, by the way, did not limit themselves to purely union work. They organised collections for needy children and lent a hand in a care centre. So they are also very active socially. Getting youth work out of the ground is not always easy in the union. Young dockers involved in setting up the Youth Movement of Antwerp Dockers said this in the Belgian newspaper, Gazet van Antwerpen: “The older board members distrusted ‘such a gang of young monkeys’, but we took it very seriously. And now that view has completely changed,” says Abdel. “We are a bridge between the older and younger generation. The older ones are happy that young people want to take the helm later on,” as Glenn Mannien (31) puts it. Hannelore Hannes is 26 and a dockworker in Antwerp. She talks about how young dockworkers can make the difference. “The younger dockers are more tolerant towards women than the older ones.”

The group started in 2017. Since then, four of these young people have moved on and become union delegates at the port. It is a great illustration of how organising young people in the union is perfectly feasible and how it is also a good investment in the long term. What undoubtedly also plays a part in making young workers reluctant to become involved in the union is the unstable situation in which they often have to work. Young workers frequently work on temporary contracts or as agency workers. They often have non-permanent jobs in companies without union representation. They work in the platform economy and logistics sector, which we know are usually jobs where there is little stability.

That should motivate us to tackle the situation as a union. And to fight for proper, fully-fledged work for young people. They don’t deserve to have to sit on the sidelines for years until they are offered the types of job they deserve. Young people have a right to stable, full-time jobs. I myself was youth leader of the ABVV trade union confederation in Belgium 40 years ago. I coordinated the union’s youth work for several years. So I know how hard it is for young people in the labour market. At the same time, I know how older unionists sometimes do not pay attention to the problems of young people. To those young people I say very clearly: don’t give up!

Young people are at the same time the future and the present. This perspective is crucial to the continued success of the trade union movement worldwide. Youth participation used to be taken for granted. However, we now live in a time when new dynamics and challenges are emerging. It is essential to ask whether young people’s lack of interest in trade unions is due to their disinterest, or whether trade unions themselves need to evolve to meet the changing needs of this generation. There are enough examples demonstrating that the involvement of young people can be successfully encouraged when trade unions adapt their approaches to meet the specific concerns and aspirations of this age group. The young dockworkers who have become shop stewards offer convincing proof that investing in young people is an effective way of renewing and revitalising the trade union movement. However, it is crucial to recognise that young workers often face precarious employment, instability and a lack of trade union representation. Frank’s text raises an essential challenge for trade unions: to fight for stable, full-time jobs for young people. It is a call to action that every trade union should take to heart. My personal experience as a young trade unionist, a member of the Executive Board of the UMT National Federation of Railway Workers in Morocco, Chair of the Arab World Women’s Committee elected in February 2023, Arab Women’s Representative on the ITF Executive Board since 2018 and former Chair of the ITF Arab World Youth Committee in 2015, has enabled me to enjoy enriching experiences alongside young workers from different backgrounds, whether Arab or not, who share the same vision and objectives:

defending the rights of young workers and encouraging them to become more involved in the trade union movement. I have also been confronted with the realities of today’s labour market, and it is clear that trade unions play an essential role in protecting the rights and interests of young workers. The older generations of the trade union movement need to pay particular attention to the specific issues facing young people. The inclusion of women in traditionally male sectors and the right to a healthy environment, including access to toilets for male and female transport workers, are crucial issues that require particular attention. I have worked hand in hand with older generations in solidarity campaigns to make the voice of young workers heard around the world. For example, the campaign in support of Palestinian workers is a practical example of this collaboration. I would also like to salute the inspiring experience of my union, the UMT, which has always considered young workers as an essential force since its creation in 1957. The young people within the UMT have provided an invaluable pool of talent and skills, helping to ensure the continuity of the trade union struggle while remaining true to fundamental values and principles. Some of these young people are now influential leaders occupying key positions in various fields, such as politics, diplomacy, public administration, the arts and intellectual life. In 2018, I had the immense honour of being elected as the first female representative of the Arab world on the ITF Executive Board, when I was just 31 years old. This achievement gave me both great pride and a deep sense of responsibility. In October 2021, my commitment to workers found a new expression when I was elected to represent their interests as a parliamentary councillor in the 2nd chamber of the Moroccan parliament. In conclusion, this chapter is an emphatic reminder of the fundamental importance of involving young people in trade unions, and a strong call to action. It is imperative that we do not let this generation of promising activists slip through our fingers. It’s a clarion call to persevere, adapt and act, and I feel very proud to have been invited to contribute to this vital conversation.