Trade unions’ ‘deliberative vitality’ towards young workers: survey evidence across Europe, with a focus on ‘PERC-countries’ Kurt Vandaele, ETUI, Brussels 7th PERC Summer School, Bratislava, 6-7 October 2014

Overview presentation ● Concept of ‘deliberative vitality’ ● Why need young workers ‘special treatment’ in trade unions? ● Introducing an e-survey across Europe ● Why are youth structures less present in unions in PERC- countries – explanations ● Do they have a significant share of young members? ● Are existing arrangements for young unionists satisfactory? ● Do those unions have inadequate resources? ● An ‘ideal setting’ – opportunities (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 2

Trade unions’ ‘deliberative vitality’ towards young workers ● = integration and participation of young members in union life and the internal union structures ● Together with collective identities, it underpins one of the power resources available to unions, namely internal solidarity Union power resources Narrative resources Infrastructural resources Internal solidarity Network embedded- ness (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 3

Young workers in need of unions and young workers being crucial for union revitalisation Increasing membership of young workers Less biased representation of the workforce Mobilizing broader participation in union democracy Increasing unions’ capacity for improving young workers’ lives (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 4

Young workers need ‘special treatment’ as they form a distinct constituency and face systematic obstacles ● Distinct constituency: young workers have some common concerns and needs on the labour market ● Job insecurity, age discrimination, illegal underpayment ● Youth unemployment in EU28: 5.4 million young workers or 23.1% ● Young workers face systematic obstacles to participation in union democracy and action ● Attitudes (‘paternalistic’), culture and ‘gerontocratic’ tendencies associated to the dominant model of aggregative democracy within unions ● Stereotyped views of young workers held by many older unionists hampering an adequate engagement with their younger co- unionists (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 5

Ideally, youth-only spaces could improve unions’ deliberative vitality towards young workers ● Providing fresh energy to the union and could be a laboratory of innovative ideas ● Developing a youth-specific knowledge and agenda ● Educating young unionists to better understand the inner workings in union ● Helping unions to experiment with new practices ● Stimulating generational renewal in terms of leadership development ● Building bridges between contending identities in the union and between labour movement and progressive social movements ● Challenging the existing predominantly (paternalistic) union culture ● Promoting a participatory model of union democracy (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 6

A survey across Europe Members of youth bodies of 6 ETUFs Youth bodies: differences in aims, structures, statutory position and (geographical) membership composition and size Members: assumption of educated view Mixed-mode survey in late 2013, early 2014 Web-survey + questionnaire survey at events organized by youth bodies n=279; response rate of 35% Representative in terms of gender Remarks ‘Varieties of unionism’ across Europe Representativeness = ETUFs youth bodies Offering insights rather than generalisations (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 7

Respondents from unions in PERC-countries account for 29 per cent of the survey (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 8

Respondents from PERC-countries are more present in the youth bodies of ETF and EPSU in the survey sample Respondents from PERC- countries Respondents from non- PERC-countries (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 9

Most respondents are male; aged between years; full- time officers; and have received training on youth issues (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 10

Youth structures are less present in PERC-countries and Southern Europe (in the survey sample) (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 11

YS non-development is (most likely) not caused by a (large) majority of young workers Trend in the share of young workers in unions Average share of young workers in unions ● Unions without YS (n=20): 14.2 per cent (SD=10.1%) ● Unions with YS (n=142): 14.5 per cent (SD=9.2%) ● Maximum age for being considered a young member set at 35 years ● 71% for PERC-countries; 16% lower than 35 years ● 40% for non-PERC countries; 52% lower than 35 years (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 12

My union is not actively engaging with young workers due to a lack of time or energy (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 13

My union is not adopting its communications and language to the world of young workers (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 14

My union is too hierarchical and rigid in its decision-making structures (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 15

My union is reluctant to abandon established routines and old habits (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 16

A low budget and understaffing are the problem of youth structures; less their communication power (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 17

Respondents from PERC-countries are more sceptical about the autonomy and budget of the YS and the training of YS staff (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 18

Unions in PERC-countries have generally weaker youth structures (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 19

FTO is particularly absent in weak YS; youth committee at national level is the most popular type (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 20

FTO is the most effective type; all types are significantly underperforming within weak YS (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 21

Youth structures’ influence is more outspoken on decision- making on day-to-day youth issues and within local and regional bodies (mean scores) (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 22

Youth committees and formal networks are perceived as influential in strong youth structures (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 23 Youth-only typeType WeakIntermediateRobust Youth committee at national level ***0.24** Special department 0.29*0.29**0.14 Formal network **0.24** Dedicated FTO * Youth committee at branch/regional level *0.07 Separate organization *0.15 Virtual network Informal network

The influence of the executive status of young workers is dependent on the internal capacity of the youth structure (2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 24

(2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 25 - Ideal YS setting: Strong capacity of youth structures with a youth Committee at national level + formal network + FTO (young workers are taken seriously) - Reserved seats in executive committee is most effective with voting rights and robust YS - Importance of educational and awareness- raising activities – trained respondents are more positive about YS’ capacity and influence

(2014) The view of young unionists across Europe 26 - Creating specific youth-only types is not enough; - Only intermediate and robust spaces are influential - a shift of resources and more autonomy is needed in case of ‘cosmetic devices’ - Influence YS and critical mass of young workers: unions less hierarchical and rigid, probably more appealing to young workers