Rage Against the Machine - Youth Action For Decent Work

Issued : Tuesday 12 June, 2007

By Vic Duggan, ECOSY Co-ordinator responsible for GPYF

June 1st and 2nd saw the gathering in Berlin of some 200 young left-wing activists from around the world ahead of the G8 meeting in Heiligendamm. Hosted by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) as part of the 'Decent Work Alliance', activists from trade unions, political organisations and NGOs discussed the important issues, shared campaigning ideas and formally launched the joint campaign to 'Stop Child Labour'.

As a concept, 'decent work' can be succinctly defined as incorporating more and better jobs, protection of workers rights, enhanced social protection and promoting social dialogue. Through its campaign - 'Decent Work, Decent Life' - the Decent Work Alliance seeks in the first place to ensure that the ILO's Core Labour Standards become not only a legal, but a practical reality for workers the world over. The Decent Work Agenda doesn't stop there, however. Recognising that securing meaningful, protected and appropriately remunerated employment is fundamental to escaping the poverty trap and to leading a fulfilling existence, the Decent Work Agenda is about universalizing this opportunity beyond the preserve of the few. Thus it is at the heart of Building an Alternative Globalisation; not to mention being fundamental to all that we hold dear as Socialists and Social Democrats.

Discussions were wide-ranging and well-informed covering; the scourge of child labour, the dangers posed by 'flexicurity' and the potential for enforcing Labour standards through existing structures of international governance. At a time of increasing precariousness for workers - and especially young workers - worldwide, there was broad consensus on the need for urgent action in the quest to ensure decent work for all young people.

There were several participative workshops in which activists exchanged campaign ideas. Most interesting was the similarity in challenges faced by union organisers the world over; particularly in the face of intransigent vested interests who seem to have failed to grasp that society has moved on from the 19th century.

The event culminated with the elaboration of 10 demands to be presented to the G8 leaders. While explicitly questioning the underlying legitimacy of the G8 as a political construct, these demands set out concrete actions which could help make our aspirations for decent work a reality - all that is lacking now is the political will of the supposed 'leaders of the free world'. Our modest demands centred on several steps which, without major political sacrifice, the G8 leaders could use to drive forward the decent work agenda. Notably, the final declaration recognised that 'countries must come together at the regional and international level to end the scourge of indecent work through a global pact for youth and make youth unemployment history'.

The Youth Action for Decent Work reinforced the need for ECOSY to engage fully with the trade union movement - as outlined in recent ECOSY resolutions. It is apparent that both pincers of our movement can only achieve their objectives by working in close collaboration - and hopefully with rampant cross-fertilization! While ECOSY, as a political movement, excels in lobbying European institutions, one must not lose sight of the key role played by the unions in engaging the grassroots by organizing, educating and agitating for decent work, for a social Europe and for a better world. Our movement, united, will never be defeated!

Indeed, many of the participating activists travelled onwards to Rostock (as close to Heiligendamm as the authorities would allow us) to make their feelings known to the G8 more vocally and in person. They travelled more in hope than in expectation that the G8 leaders would listen to our pleas. It remains incumbent on all progressive activists never to stop 'shining light on the darkness of greed'.