News

On a cold and wet Friday afternoon in March, young trade unionists from across Europe took to the streets in Athens, Greece, to demonstrate their commitment to the young, precarious and unemployed. UNI Europa Youth’s action marked the launch of the new European Trade Union Federations’ joint youth campaign, “Enough of their crisis, back to our future!” which demands that EU institutions and employers finally make good on their promises to make youth issues a priority. 

In a creative ‘flashmob’ drama, which resembled the sudden rain fall just as the group was making their way for Kotzia Square, UNI Europa Youth’s action was designed to represent the nature of the young generation in the new world of work: ‘frozen’ on the periphery of standard employment, the youth of today face structural odds that are increasingly stacked against them. Thus, after causal mingling in the square, staggered groups of the UNI Europa Youth group suddenly froze in place with signs raised in Greek and English: “Young, Precarious, and Unemployed”.  Then slowly, a chant – “We’re taking back our future!” – bubbled up through the crowd of young people, and they all broke out of their forced stasis and into a lively Greek dance just as suddenly as the rain had stopped over head.

 Although the sun did not appear again the rest of the day, the clouds rose higher into the sky and the rain did not return; and it was as if the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe, had heard the young activists’ message.  The youth of Europe can and will endure whatever weather they may face because they recognize that together they are strong; together, they can make a difference, in their own lives and in the lives of fellow young people all across Europe.