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Kato Tomoyasu, President UNI Apro said that he is confident that low youth participation rates will improve as more youth gradually shift into leadership positions. Kato cited the example of ICTJ union and UNI LCJ which had created positive environments for youths to explore their potential in the trade union movement.

“UNI Apro Youth activities has always focused on the full integration of young members into the heart of the trade union movement,” said Kato.

He was responding to UNI Apro Youth Committee’s concerns where Michelle Belino, UNI Apro Youth President said that youth participation in UNI Apro structures, with the exception of meetings organised for young members, does not reflect the composition in UNI Apro’s membership. “This is particularly so at both the sectoral and regional committee level,” she lamented.

Members of the UNI Apro Youth Committee will appeal their trade unions to develop and implement strategic organising campaigns. These campaigns will recruit young employees and integrate them as activists to empower the trade union movement. However, recruitment of young workers into the trade union would only be successful if youth are fully integrated in all levels of trade union including as organisers.

“UNI Apro Youth must set higher standards to break barriers hindering efforts in fully integrating young workers into trade unions,” said Christopher Ng, UNI Apro Regional Secretary. “Young leaders have to be more active and take more initiatives to contribute positively to the trade union movement.”

Describing the changes taking place in the region especially in ASEAN, Myanmar, and emerging economies in the developing countries, Christopher said that there is room for youths to play more decisive roles in the trade union movement.

UNI Apro Youth activities are centred on building trade union strength via recruitment, awareness campaigns, and working with the society through its “Social Movement unionism” volunteering activities.

Some of these social volunteering activities include participation in donation and recycling drives, awareness campaigns against the violations of human rights, child labour and poverty, promoting peace, organising reforestation campaigns, and promoting disaster relief activities. Events such as the UNI LCJ’s English camps, volunteering for UNI World Congress, solidarity actions with other organisations, trainings and educational activities, speech competitions, and lobbying focus on building trade union strength.

The UNI Apro Youth strategic plan 5.2 (2011-2014) focuses on the integrating of youth representatives into sectoral activities. Accordingly, it is the UNI Apro Youth perogative to call for the support of full integration of young workers on each of the UNI Apro sectoral core activities. Present Director for Youth Activities, Alice Chang has been given the task to work with sectors and groups directors to ensure that young workers issues are fully integrated in the core work of the trade unions. This will be the UNI Apro Youth committee’s main priority.

The 9th UNI Apro Youth Committee Meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 28th August 2013. The meeting was chaired by its President Michelle Belino, and was attended by 30 participants from 15 unions from 9 countries in the Asia and Pacific region.

Please visit the flickr link for more pictures from the meeting: