SEE Trade Union Youth Encounter with DGB Youth

The SEE Trade Union Youth Encounter workshop with DGB Youth held under the heading “Together in socially just Europe’s future” took place in Dresden, Germany from 30th November until 3rd December 2009. The meeting was financed by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and gathered 24 young trade unionists: 17 participants from 9 countries of South Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia) and 7 from Germany.

Presentations were made by the German colleagues from DGB Youth, focused on the following issues: recruiting new members, possibilities and methods of new member recruitment, dual education system and the work of youth work councils in Germany. Participants discussed above mentioned issues, as well as the labour market situation and the way of functioning of trade union youth structures in SEE region and Germany. It was organized a visit to the Volkswagen Factory in Dresden by the colleagues from IG Metal and the Factory Young Work Council.

The encounter was an opportunity of building international cooperation among the trade union youth structures of SEE and DGB Youth. Participants received information about the structure, role and priorities of the ETUC, PERC and its Youth Committee, as well as about the World Social Forum and European Social Forum. In the end of the workshop and after 4-day of discussions, sharing of ideas and good practices, all participants agreed that the main priority of their future common work for the next year will be recruitment and organizing of young people in trade unions. Also, all agreed that for the purpose of future successful networking should be established a common platform for communication among the young trade unionists from SEE region.

Daniela Aleksieva (CITUB – Bulgaria, Chair of ITUC-PERC Youth Committee)
Ivana Prnjat (CTUM – Montenegro, Member of ITUC-PERC Youth Committee)