Unemployment; however, still remains the main barrier that young workers must face in Latin America and the Caribbean. ILO mentioned, in its 2015 Report called 'Promoting formal employment among youth' that 6 of every 10 young workers, in case of get a job, are forced to take jobs in the informal economy, which means poor working conditions, no protection or basic labor rights, low wages and low productivity.
“Young people are one of the focus group of training and organization of BWI sectors. However, unfortunately, it is also the young people who often face problems at workplace due to poor working conditions and precarious employment.
In this sense, develop a policy that also consider the point of view of young people is indispensable. Even when some unions are developing considerable effort to enable young people to participate in political discussions of their organizations, it is crucial that those leaders are also present in the international discussion", reads part of the Resolution adopted at the 2nd Meeting of the BWI Youth Ad-Hoc Group, held last September 26th in Panama City, at the headquarters of the local BWI affiliate: SUNTRACS.
The titular members of the BWI Youth Ad-Hoc Group for Latin America and the Caribbean, led by Jorge Hernández of FETRACOMA, Chile (President), Yessenia Flores of CSTPE, Ecuador (titular of Group 23), José Luis López of UOCRA, Argentina and Jean Pereira of STICC, Brazil (titulars of Group 24), Eliéser Córdoba of SUNTRACS, Panama (titular Group 25) and Dorie Krishsandye of BITU, Jamaica (substitute of Group 26) also approved a Work Plan consisting of the following areas and specific actions:
1. Youth Network: activated in two stages: a mapping of unions with young members and their presence on corporate boards; and a second stage, to promote the increased participation of youth in BWI campaigns. A specific action of this Network will be the launch of a survey on youth leadership.
2. Campaign One more young!: aims to promote the inclusion of one extra young leader in every participating delegation in BWI meetings. A participation evaluation will be developed at the end of the campaign.
3. Youth and Innovative Unionism: encouraging innovative unionism initiatives through competitions among young trade unionists affiliated to BWI. Every winner initiative will be published on BWI website.
4. Training of Trainers School: aims to train union delegates in order to create local union training schools in their unions. Chile FETRACOMA will finance the accommodation and meals for participants.