The Arab Regional Trade Union Youth Conference, held on 18 and 19 July 2025, under the theme ‘Arab Trade Union Youth: Leaders of Just Transitions’, gathered 60 young trade unionists (including 25 women) in Tunis to facilitate in-depth discussions on the rapidly evolving challenges facing the Arab labour market. The discussions pondered the impact of digital and climate transitions, the role of young workers in these transitions, and how young workers can be empowered to fulfill their role while striving for economic and social justice.

The conference delved deep into the complexities of the digital and climate transitions, with spirited discussions focusing on how young people can proactively lead these monumental shifts. A core objective was to explore how young workers can be empowered to fulfill their pivotal role while simultaneously striving for economic and social justice in a rapidly evolving world. Following two days of intense deliberations and collaborative spirit, the participants issued a set of bold and actionable recommendations across critical thematic areas, charting a progressive path for the future of Arab youth in the workforce:

• Regulation and formal recognition of digital platform workers' rights, championing the new ILO Convention on Platform Work as a unified Arab union.
• A regional database on digital platforms initiated collective bargaining on AI's labor implications.
• A review of OHS committee mandates, updating disease lists to include mental health, and urging governments to ratify relevant international conventions.
• Integration of just transition principles into national climate policies, supporting green vocational training, and establishing an Arab Youth Trade Union Committee for Climate Justice.
• Modernization of union communication to attract youth, increasing youth representation in decision-making, creating a regional digital platform for youth committees, and establishing an Arab Observatory on Youth Labor Issues.

In a separate session, participants expressed deep frustration at the international community's silence regarding the atrocities committed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza. They renewed their full solidarity with the Palestinian people, calling on global unions to support the Palestinian cause across all international forums. Young trade unionists from the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) in Gaza joined the event online and shared firsthand accounts of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the territory. This moment intensified feelings of solidarity and reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian struggle in Arab trade union youth advocacy.

The conference concluded with the announcement of the launch of a regional follow-up mechanism to monitor the implementation of the issued recommendations.

Noureddine Taboubi, General Secretary of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), emphasized the pivotal role of youth in the future of trade unionism, stating, “Youth are not only the future of unions, they are their beating heart today. Without renewing our structures with young talents, we cannot ensure the continuity and vitality of the trade union movement.”