PUBLIC SERVIC ES INTERNATIONAL
YOUTH TO YOUTH
APRIL 2013
Public Services International (PSI) is a global trade union federation representing 20 million working women and men who deliver vital public services in 150 countries. PSI works with the United Nations system and in partnership with labour, civil society and other organisations.
Asia Pacific Regional Organisation:
Address: 295 Upper Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 534929 Tel: +65 62823219 Fax: +65 62804918 Regional Secretary: Ms. V. Lakshmi Email: [Link]@[Link] Website: [Link]
Youth mainstreaming: Engag ing young workers in all aspect of PSI policy and work
A side meeting of the Asia Pacific Youth Network was held 4 April 2013 before the PSI Asia Pacific Regional Executive Committee in Singapore. Representatives from East Asia Youth Network and Oceania Youth Network attended, and the meeting was very productive. In the information-sharing session with reports from the sub-regions it became clear that all countries are facing the same issues of youth unemployment and precarious work. Participants also met with PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli and sought advice from her on the formation of a larger youth network. Rosa expressed a strong preference for mainstreaming youth, a view shared by the meeting. For further information and minutes of the meeting, please contact Ms. Katie Rowsell, APYN Coordinator: [Link]@[Link]
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New Zealand PSA: Youth leadership training
PSA Youth, the network for PSA members under 35, recently held a two-day leadership training course for young PSA members. The first day of the course was held in September 2012 and the second day was held in early March 2013. The course looked at leadership within the workplace and how young PSA members can play an important role in positive change at work, including: what is leadership and what makes a good leader; thinking about your leadership goals and leadership style; leadership roles within the PSA; and activity planning. The course was held in Wellington (on 1 March 2013), Auckland (on 4 March 2013), and Christchurch (on 7 March 2013), the three biggest cities in New Zealand. Over 20% of PSA members are 35 years, which representative of the percentage of under-35s employed in the NZ public service. Yet there is no one under 35 on the NZ PSA executive board and very few youth are senior delegates or represented on the union sector committees. By offering leadership training PSA Youth hope to encourage young leaders in the union movement to step up and take on leadership positions within the PSA. For further information visit PSAYs webpage: [Link] or visit PSAYs Facebook Page
Youth to Youth is the Asia Pacifi c ne ws bulletin for young membe rs in the region. It is published eve ry two months by the Public Services International Asia Pacific Regional Organisation (PSI -APRO). To contribute or subscribe to this bulletin, please contact: [Link]@world -[Link]
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Youth to Youth Youth employment is the way out of crisis
At the World Social Forum in Tunisia, Public Services International organized a workshop on Youth employment is the way out of crisis on 28 March 2013. Young workers, policy-makers, public authorities and trade unions build a platform for more decent jobs. The world is facing a worsening youth employment crisis: young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and over 75 million youth worldwide are looking for work. Trade unions play an important role in providing a voice for young workers. During the workshop participants from several continents shared their views on youth policies and initiatives that are being developed. While some underlined the need to increase the employability of young people, others contended that it the only way out is by creating more jobs. There was agreement that employers should contribute more to training young people on the job, that employment schemes that reduce social costs in case of hiring young workers are unjustified subsidies to employers and that austerity measures contribute to exploitative situations. Participants from the MENA region also reflected on the role that young people played in the Arab spring, with clear demands for more and better jobs. Most of the promises made have not been carried out yet and representation of young people in government is close to zero. See the report or contact Ms. Sandra Vermuyten, PSI Equality and Rights Officer, for more details: [Link]@[Link]
South America: Decent work for youth!
The PSI /IMPACT-sp onsored project Young workers in the Southern Cone: from a project to a union policy 2011 -2013, has helped to strengthen PSI Regional and National Youth Committees in numbers and representation. Through this project in South America, thousands of young workers have benefited from training on precarious and decent work, along with PSI young workers policy and collective bargaining methods. Results include the creation of union youth departments, election of young workers to national union leadership bodi es and participation in negotiating committees. Click here for the full report.
Brain drain: 120,000 professionals leave Greece amid crisis
Greece's sky-high unemployment and shrinking economy are leading to significant brain drain, a new study has found. The number of young scientists leaving Greece has become very high, as more professionals abandon their homeland for better opportunities abroad. According to the study, the number of young scientists who emigrate has reached 10 percent of the countrys potential.
State hospital nurses protesting in Thessaloniki (News/Photo: Der Spiegel)
Greece has the highest unemployment rate in the European Union, at just over 26 percent. Its economy is in its sixth consecutive year of negative growth, partially the function of deep austerity measures that have been demanded by the country's main lenders. To read more, click here.
Youth to Youth Why we should be concerned about the Asian Development Bank (ADB)?
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has invested in infrastructure and development projects : energy, water, roads, railways, dams, and other municipal infrastructure and services. Now the ADB wants to expand investment to education and health. For the Asia Pacific region, the ADB is the third largest donor (after the Japanese government and the World Bank) lending to its developing member countries. So, why we should be concerned about it? The negative impacts caused by development projects are sometimes the result of poor planning and/or poor implementation. A series of research findings by the global union federations has found that worker s rights are not protected in ADB projects. PSIs project on Campaigning for Core Labour Standards & Quality Public Services in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) aims at strengthening affiliates with skills and technical assistance on ADBs development project operations and involvement of the unions. For further information, please contact Mr. Ian Mariano, Project Coordinator, [Link]@[Link]
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In 2006 ADB published its Handbook on Core Labour Standards (CLS), where it committed to comply with internationally recignised core labour standards and related labour laws in the design, formulation and operation of its loans. Many cases of CLS violations take the form of physical violence against union organizers and officials, along with discrimination and dismissals and other work-related anti-union/worker action.
Young workers situation in East Asia
The report on the East Asia Youth Network meeting in Macao on 22 February identified recent developments concerning young workers in this sub-region: Mongolia: economic rapid growth has driven up daily living costs, but has failed to benefit many people. Many young workers have organised demonstrations against the fact that the government has no policies to deal with this situation. Japan and South Korea: nonregularization of employment and unemployment are continuing to increase, affecting pensions, working conditions and daily social life. This is becoming a serious social issue marked by insufficient employment opportunities and precarious employment among the youth. Workers in precarious employment have little job security, work long hours for low wages, have limited control over workplace conditions, little protection from health and safety risks in the workplace, and less opportunity for training and career progression. Precarious workers throughout the world are frequently denied their right to join a union or bargain collectively precisely because of their employment status. The meeting discussed how PSIs new Programme of Action can be used to address these issues, working collectively.
Mr. Shin Sasaki, JICHIRO, and Ms. Kana Toyoda, JPSU, attended APREC Meeting on 5-6 April 2013
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Youth to Youth Youth employment and HIV/AIDS
Young people are at the centre of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in terms of the rates of infection and vulnerability, but also at the centre of the potential for change. The ILO APYouthNet Talk Show series features an issue on young people and HIV/AIDS in the work place. This discussion looks at how the United Nations, governments, workers' and employers organisations and civil society can assist young people living with HIV/AIDS or at risk of infection in the world of work. Click here for the discussion.
ILO APYouthNet connects members active in youth employment policy and programme design to share technical capabilities, advice and partnerships across the Asia Pacific region. To become a member of the Asia-Pacific Youth Employment Network and stay up to date with the latest youth employment developments in our region and beyond, please contact apyouthnet@[Link] or visit the website here.
Death of Thatcher reminds us of failed policies on water privatisation
Former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died on 8 April 2013. She was a very controversial figure, known in particular for promoting privatisation of public services. The water industr y was one of her many targets. The privatisation of water companies has been unpopular with opinion polls showing people believe a return to public ownership would serve the people best. The detrimental effects of water privatisation have been documented including the increase of water borne diseases. There is ample evidence of how little privatisation has contributed to water services. As young people we should understand how Thatchers policies have hurt quality public services around the world.
Melbourne youth members meet up
On 14 March 2013, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) Next Gen network held its first event of the year, with about 15 members meeting for some social time and networking in Melbourne, Australia. There was a great cross-section of members from different agencies who spent the evening swapping stories. CPSU Next Gen in coordinated by union members Monica Long and Lucas Evans. We are a group aimed at getting together and networking members 35 years old and under. We host regular events through the year. To find out more, . connect with us at: [Link]/CPSUNextGen
10 t h ITUC-Asia Pacific Youth Committee Meeting
The 10th International Trade Union Confederation Asia Pacific Youth Committee was held in Bangkok, Thailand, 17-18 April 2013. PSIs Asia Pacific Regional Organisation attended as an associate member to this committee. The meeting discussed the importance of young people in the trade union movement; the ITUC Platform proposal on Get organized was approved for youth organizing. The youth committee members also reviewed activity reports for each of their respective countries. The committee discussed and presented the ITUC-AP Survey 2012 on Youth in Asia and the Pacific. This was the fourth survey on youth to collect information about the national trade union youth movement and youth employment situation. Policy matters were also discussed: reviewing progress; identifying challenges, and revising the regional youth policy. The committee members also proposed national youth action plans on the basis of the ITUC-AP Youth Charter 2011-2015, to be presented to each unions governing body for consideration and support. The ITUC-AP General Secretary took notes of the recommendations to the Regional General Council.