News

The Third Seminar on Temporary Employment Agencies and First Job was held on the 25th and 26th of August in Lima, Peru,  with the participation of young activists from the region engaged in protecting workers' social and union rights.

The seminar was attended by union leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Barbados, Chile, Colombia, United States, Nicaragua, Peru and Uruguay.

The meeting addressed participants' concerns regarding the new world of work, the challenge to organise workers, and the pursuit of strategies related to outsourcing and temporary jobs.

Temp agencies are many times youth's  only tool for entering the labour market for the first time. Consequently, many workers move from one contract to another, with no prospects of improving their wages, without protection, rights or benefits.

"New processes are taking place in the new world of work and it is very important to organise the temporary employment sector, where there are many young employees," said Adriana Rosenzvaig, Regional Secretary of UNI Americas.

Gustavo Triani, Regional Director of UNI Americas, said that 30% of young people have temporary contracts. "We have to organise workers in strong unions and by sector, to meet the challenges of outsourcing and subcontracting".

A debate between young workers and employment agency representatives followed. The workers stated that  temporary work causes precariousness of the labour market, labour rights, and affects organising rates.

Briceida González, Regional Director of UNI Americas, highlighted the importance of keeping in contact and following up on commitments made at the meeting. "The strength, the innovative ideas and the energy of union youth is a vital part of the  unions' driving force, so we must also defend the rights of young workers who are denied their rights when hired with temporary contracts" she said.

"It is necessary to continue strengthening intersectoral alliances between UNI organisations, with the objective of improving working conditions and rights of workers hired through agencies," she concluded.

Young workers pledged to strengthen the unions to be able to negotiate and continue fighting  to promote standards of decent work and dignity of work.

Martín Berdiñas, President of UNI Americas Youth Committee, invited the other participants to continue working, "We must be aware of the importance of taking action as youth and support the organising process as UNI youth," he stated.