The 5th PERC Youth Conference

The 5th PERC Youth Conference took place on 6-7th of November in Baku. During two days the delegates from different parts of Europe debated youth employment and the future of work and are developed priorities of work for the 2018-2019.

Conference was welcomed by Sattar Mehbaliyev, Vice-President of PERC and President of AHIK. The 1st day was focused on Youth committee activities and youth in international Trade Union movement and ILO initiative on Future of Work.

Tatiana Marian, the President of PERC Youth Committee reported on their activities during the period of 2016-2017. Goda Neverauskaite, advisor at PERC, presented structure and priorities of ITUC, work and structure of Pan-European Regional Council and PERC Youth Committe and place in decision making bodies. Maria Tsirantonaki, ITUC Equality department, presented structure, goals, work and political agenda of ITUC Youth Committee. Želimir Stanič, ETUC Youth Committe Bureau member presented structure and work of ETUC Youth Committee.
Sergejus Glovackas, desk officer for Europe, ILO ACTRAV presented ILO initiative Future of Work and gave a background for discussions.

There was a special session for presentations of the candidates running for the Committee where they shared their vision of the PERC YC future activities and their union background.

The 2nd day started with discussions of Organizing and ITUC Organizing agenda. Participants had an opportunity to present few cases of organizing in different qountires and discuss their experience. The cases presented campaigns done by KTR (Russia), GTUC (Georgia), LPSK Youth (Lithuania).

The afternoon session was dedicated to brainstorm the priorities for the work of new PERC Youth Committee in groups and to present the outcomes. This formed a long list of priorities for new 5th Youth Committee to build their work on throughout their mandate of 2 years: future of work; organizing; youth (un-)employment; empowering youth; solidarity, awareness campaigns; communication and networking; promotion of trade union values.

The Conference elected the 5th PERC Youth Committee in accordance with the Terms of Reference, and the voting resulted in the following composition:

President:
Mr Roman Zaytsev , Estonia, EAKL
Vice-Presidents:
Ms Zhanna Abilova, Kazakhstan, FPRK
Mr Bruno Hoxha, Albania, BSPSH
Mr Alexander Nurik, Russia, KTR
Members:
Ms Nuray Agbaba, Turkey, Turk-IS
Mr Giga Bekauri, Georgia, GTUC
Mr Glib Kolesov, Ukraina, KVPU
Mr Vadim Mikhailov, Belarus, BKDP
Ms Gabriela Tricolici, Moldova, CNSM

Taking into account Luca Visentini’s proposal and to stress that PERC Youth fully shares the concern that there is a lack of presence of the Western part of the region, the 4th PERC Youth Conference agreed on the following:

To be added to the Terms of Reference: 2 additional quota seats for underrepresented regions, to maintain the balance. As in this situation the EU part is underrepresented, to maintain these positions for EU.

Following the nomination by the ŐGB, the Conference welcomed Mr Sascha Ernszt, Federal Chair of the Austrian Trade Union Youth, as the 10th member of the 5th Youth Committee

As regards the vacant position for the 11th member, the PERC Youth Committee got a mandate from the Conference to get in contact with the ETUC Youth Committee to discuss common actions and to agree on the procedure to fill this vacancy. To maintain the balance stated in the Terms of Reference, this member should be a woman.

The PERC Youth Committee shall revise the Terms of Reference and submit a proposal to the Executive Committee meeting in March 2018.

After the Conference was closed, there was a joint meeting of 4th and 5th PERC Youth Committees.