Title TRADE UNION YOUNG WORKERS AND STUDENTS CONVERGENCE FOR DECENT WORK Trade Union Congress of the PhilippinesEdda Divah Dayandante

Time Frame 2 YEARS

Background and the Need for the Project TUCP has a total current membership of 850,000, 51% is youth workers. Most of the youth workers come from BPO industry and in economic zones; they are very young and either high school graduates or with college years. They might be happy with their jobs, but do not want to stay longer than a year. Many of the BPO workers are very young and newly graduated from college. According to the respondents, they would rather sleep or rest during leisure time. The study showed that happiness at work is influenced by the importance given by a BPO worker to job productivity in the workplace and the mean number of hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Background and the Need for the Project The working youth suffers the most from unemployment. The Philippine Statistical Authority reports that the youth accounts for half of the unemployed in the country; over ten people compete for a single new job. On-going TUCP Program in increasing the number of youth members Kalakaran sa Call Center Workplace – Online access to work(place) experiences of call center agents TUCP Workers’ COLLEGEFREE TRAINING PROGRAM (TUCP/TUCP PARTY LIST/TESDA)

Background and the Need for the Project Urgent action is needed in informing the prospective young workers on how they can enjoy their rights as workers in the future thru trade union collaboration with college and university students.

Target Group and Parties Involved Students/groups in Colleges and Universities Trade Union Members in affiliated colleges and universities TUCP

Objectives 1.There is an increase in the number of TUCP youth workers. 2.A strong, resilient and productive youth leaders and members of TUCP. 3.Joint actions on youth and student issues are implemented 4.Labor Union is part of the curriculum in tertiary and vocational courses.

Immediate Action 1. Immediate Action 1. Trainings are provided to the youth to equip them of expertise. Curriculum includes trade unionism and labor standards. Activities 1.1.Continue implementation of TUCP Workers’ COLLEGE FREE TRAINING PROGRAM (TUCP/TUCP PARTY LIST/TESDA) on various skills, e.g., call centers, construction, hotelkeeping, etc.

Immediate Action 1. Activities 1.2. After their training program, they will be endorsed to partner companies for employment, e.g. call centers with Memorandum of Agreements with TUCP Workers College, construction companies with TUCP engagement, small hotels working with TUCP Workers College. Activities 1.3. Monitoring and Tracking Program (through facebook group, twitter, other social media; quarterly get-together of trainees, with sharing on wages and conditions of work)

Immediate Action 2. Immediate Action 2. Leadership and skills training are provided to students and workers. Activities 2.1. Training in accessing finance for workers and student programs (DOLE, etc.); Helping prepare program proposals for funding; Training for planning and implementation of programs; Include in CBA that they will be allowed to file for paid leave on union- related seminars.

Immediate Action 3. Immediate Action 3. TUCP campaigns per region thru trade unions and colleges/universities and welcomes new members (agreements with student groups). Activities 3.1. TUCP programs to update the trade union members, especially the youth. Activities 3.2. Team-building activities are provided to the youth members. Activities 3.3. Continuous career consultation is provided to the youth workers.

Immediate Action 3. Activities 3.4. Keep an eye to: (a) progress in joint work on youth and workers issues; Representation on violation of students’ workers’ rights; (b) monitoring enforcement implementation of labor laws; and (c) continuing programs on awareness of workers and students of their rights; and (d) assistance in access to tuition finance; assistance in mitigating contractualization and precarious employment.

Immediate Action 4. Immediate Action 4. Students in tertiary and vocational schools are informed and knowledgeable of trade unions. Activities 4.1. Student groups and unions get together and discuss common issues and proposed plan, and then implement joint work. Activities 4.2. Provide leadership trainings and career talks to college students on labor rights and trade unions.

Immediate Action 4. Activities 4.2. Member unions of the colleges and universities, if any, will enlighten and share with the students theirs and trade union’s success stories, social and political involvement and its support to the economy. Activities 4.3. Propose to have a course/subject on labor unions alone, separate from Philippines Labor Code Law. Forums on how to advocate for approval of filed bills in Congress. Planning and implementation of advocacy plan.

THANK YOU!