TUCP YOUTH DECLARE “JIED, THE FUTURE OF WORK WE WANT!”

Dec 16, 2017 – “Just, Inclusive, Equitable, and Decent: that’s the future of work we want!” declared young workers and trade unionists at the conclusion of the TUCP National Youth Conference on 13-14 December 2017. Read more.

The conference was held to address the concerns of young people to ensure a Future of Work that is decent, inclusive, just, and equitable, consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and with the goals and objectives of the TUCP and its parent organization, the International Trade Union Confederation Asia Pacific (ITUC AP).

The two-day conference aimed to (a) improve the awareness and knowledge of young workers on emerging labor and social issues including, the Future of Work, sustainable development goals, gender equality and gender-based violence at the workplace, occupational safety and health, reproductive health, family planning and HIV/AIDS, social media advocacy and campaigning, and trade union leadership; (b) reorganize and strengthen the TUCP Youth Committee; and (c) craft the TUCP Committee Youth Action Agenda on the Future of Work We Want.

Some 41 young trade unionists and leaders, representing 21 national labor federations and local unions attended the program. Participation was 49% women and 51% men.

Representatives from local and international organizations, including the International Labor Organization, Manila Office (ILO); International Confederation of Trade Unions Asia Pacific (ITUC AP); Population Commission (POPCOM Central Office); Legal Access Law offices; and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) attended as expert resource speakers.

Seven (7) interactive sessions provided the participants with comprehensive understanding and appreciation of current issues and concerns surrounding young people and the world of work. The sessions included:

1. Digitization of Work and the Gig Economy:Implications for Young Workers’ Employment, Organizing, and Decent Work by TUCP GS Emeritus Cedric R. Bagtas and ATUC Coordinator Dominador Tuvera;
2. Gender Equality and Gender-Based Violence in the Workplace by ITUC AP Senior Women and Projects Officer Anna Lee Fos-Tuvera;
3. OSH for Young Workers and OSH Network by ILO SafeYouth@Work Project National Coordinator Katherine Brimon;
4. Sustainable Development Goals: No one left behind by TUCP Director for Education Rafael E. Mapalo;
5. Reproductive Health, Family Planning, and HIV/AIDS at the Workplace by TUCP Director for Education Rafael E. Mapalo, in cooperation with the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP);
6. Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) and its Impact on Workers by Legal Access Law Offices Partner Atty. Archie Gonzalez; and
7. The Future of Work by ITUC AP General Secretary Shoya Yoshida.

The conference strengthened the TUCP Youth Committee with the election of Chair Wilmark Ramos; Vice Chairs Edwardson Narag and Michelle Padiernos; Treasurer Nelson Elises; and Auditor Cecille Ebilane.

A Youth Advisory Council composed of former young trade union leaders and led by Bro. Avelino Caraan and Sis. Ailene Montalban, was organized to provide support, advise, and guidance to the Committee.

For the next here years, the Youth Committee pledged to train their efforts and resources to help address decent work deficits, particularly on: (i.) Security of tenure, non-standard forms of employment and informal employment among young people; (ii.) Skills for employment and future types of work; (iii.) Gender equality, gender-based violence, and discrimination; (iv.) Freedom of association and collective bargaining rights of young workers; (v.) Education on trade unions and human rights; (vi.) Income inequality and fairer sharing of profits and gains; (vii.) Productivity; (viii.) Occupational safety and health, including Family Planning, reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, and work-life balance; (ix.) Young workers representation in union leadership and participation in social dialogue mechanisms and decision-making processes; (x.) Social media and information technology for awareness-raising and education; and (xi.) Mobility and labor migration of young workers.