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NORDLEAD

internship programs for young workers and trade union leaders

Background:

Young workers and young trade union’s leaders from the beginning were in the shadow of the trade union movement in Ukraine.

Statistic information from different sectoral trade unions shows that young members are 35-37% of all members. They stay in a trade union structure that is completely bureaucratic and corrupt, with old Soviet Union values and methods of work. At the same time, these members are active, they want to join real strong trade unions on the value of solidarity and protect labour rights, they want to see democracy and transparency not only inside the trade union but inside the country also.

In 2016 we decided to change it and we organized young workers from the state sector in the Youth Network of the State Employees Union of Ukraine. We established 25 youth networks in all regions of Ukraine. Since that other trade unions of Ukraine have started young workers networks within their Unions and the young workers have become represented in the executive committee of the Federation of Trade Unions in Ukraine, FPU.

In the spring of 2022, the young workers networks of Ukraine have proved to be a strong change-oriented force and has started a humanitarian in an initiative called the Trade Union Lifeline. The trade union lifeline has collected money from unions abroad and helped to provide humanitarian aid for people affected by the war in occupied and bombed cities of Ukraine. The commitment showed through this initiative will be a stepping stone into the modernisation process of the trade union movement by building on already successful organising work by the young workers.

That is show that to provide support to youth network will give the young trade unionists in Ukraine a platform for shaping the future of their movement and help build a country based on democratic values and decent work. That is why we would like to support young workers and trade union leaders with internship programs within the Nordic trade union movement like a strong example of democracy and transparency.

Challenge:

We would like to organise an opportunity for a network of young workers in the Ukrainian trade union movement to have an internship in a frame of different sectoral Nordic trade unions (public sector we start from) to help the young workers in Ukraine build a strong and modern trade union movement, take power and that is capable to promote decent work as a part of the re-building of Ukraine after (or during) times of war.

We have trained thousands of union leaders and helped to modernise the working methods of the union regarding collective agreements, social dialogue, recruiting and other topics but they gave never ever had a chance to see in their own eyes how it looks like to work in different methods and systems. So the internship program will give them that chance.

Implementation:

Internship on thematic areas for young trade union leaders from cross-sectoral cooperation:

1. Independent and democratic trade unions
2. Social dialogue, and working conditions.
3. Organising and communication, recruitment.
4. Increased gender equality and diversity in working life, society and trade unions.

Term of internship: 1-2 weeks.

Results:

1. United and solidarity support for young trade union leaders. Giving young workers a voice and helping them organise.
    
2. United young workers in cross-sectoral cooperation – to strengthen trade union movement in Ukraine. In order to give the young unionists a stronger voice and the means to make the trade union movement relevant for younger generations, The aim of the project is to bring young unionists from different unions in Ukraine together and – run by the young workers themselves we will lay a foundation for the young workers to shape their own future.
    
3. Rebuilding Ukraine as a better place for workers. As Ukraine will be rebuilt after the war with support from the EU in the coming years it will be crucial that the rebuilding is done with decent work and in social dialogue. The project will help to give the young generation of Ukraine the means to take an active role in that work and we will also help the young workers to connect with other unions that can help support the rebuilding of the country and the modernization of the trade union movement.

Expenses for Nordic trade union who would like to give opportunity internship for young workers:

1. Accommodation
2. Meal
3. Tickets
4. Educational training, a conference for change experience.
5. Administrative costs for the person who will be responsible to implement the project, organising visits, leading and escorting, interpretation, preparing informational materials etc