The 4th SEE-DGB Youth Encounter

Driven by good practice and excellent relationships between South-East European trade union youth and DGB youth, financed by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, regional Project for labour relations and social dialogue in SEE, the 4th SEE-DGB Youth Encounter on „Employment and Democracy“ was held on 1-4 October 2012 in Ohrid, Macedonia. There were participants from Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia.
Issues regarding youth un/employment in the hosting countries and EU countries as well as challenges of labour market, flexibilisation of labor legislation in time of crisis and labour rights were some of the subject that were the focus of this encounter.

Discussion was followed by the good practices within youth networks/sections on how to recruit more youngsters into trade unions and provide financial assets for their actions. Also, it was discussed about democratic values of the EU, better participation of young trade unionist through international organizations like ETUC, ITUC, EFFAT, etc. than role of the trade union and youth sections in 21st century, measures of employment, democratization of society, good practices of all participating countries.

In the light of the World Day for Decent Work, it was held a press conference on which Ivana Prnjat, coordinator of SEE YN, Goran Lukić from Slovenia, Udo Weisswange from Germany and Emilija Grujić from FES talked about position of youth at the labour market and problems that young people face with in Europe.

It was concluded that this way of encounter is a good example for all union members, to gain experiences, knowledge and learn on good examples, and the 5th encounter of SEE trade union youth and DGB youth is foreseen for the following year.

Written by,

Ivana Prnjat
SEE YN Coordinator
PERC YC Vice President