Young workers take the floor during the Covid19 pandemic

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Young workers express themselves on their situation during the Covid19 pandemic

The IYCW celebrates the International Week of Young Workers - April 24th - May 1st, 2020

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The International Week of Young Workers is celebrated every year by the International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) from the 24th of April to the 1st of May. It was first celebrated in 1970 as the National Week of Young Workers by the Brazilian YCW.

In 1983 during the International Council of IYCW in Madrid Spain, the International Week was adopted as one of the main events at the international level. Since then, the IYCW promoted it in all countries where it is present as a training, organizational, and demanding means for young workers. During this week, the young workers conduct different activities to share and analyse their situations, express their convictions, strengthen friendship, and participate in actions to claim their rights. Therefore, this week ends up with May 1st demonstrations, which will be organised virtually this year.

The working class in Brazil is suffering from serious setbacks that affect everyone especially the youth. Facing the current scenario, we are called to unify our voices and actions. As a mark of this challenge, we invite all young people and all people in solidarity with our struggle for life and decent working condition to join us in prayer:

"Jesus, I offer you this day, my work, difficulties and struggles, my joys and hopes. Grant us, as young people who are training for professional life, that we are looking for work or have work, awareness of our dignity, rights, and our responsibilities. Grant us the grace to witness our love for life and for what is honest and just, the daily dedication to our union and organization, and wisdom to act collectively for a dignified life and working condition. Grant us, at last, fidelity to the mission of working for the Kingdom that is yours, today and forever" - Reginaldo Andrietta, Bishop of Diocese Jales Brazil.

As described by Bishop Reginaldo Andrietta, after 36 years since the establishment of the International Week of Young Workers in the 6th International Council of IYCW in the city of Madrid, today the International YCW continues to develop its struggle through actions " by, among and for young workers, with the aim of achieving a more just and dignified world. During this International Week from April 24 to May 1, we, the activists of International YCW, would like to invite all young workers around the world to continue our struggle and resist against the new challenges we will face after the spread of the COVID19 global pandemic.

Once again, the International YCW is raising its voice to have a:

"Just work, equality, and a dignified life for all young workers around the world."

The International Secretariat of the IYCW

The International Team holds its annual ordinary meeting at a time of precariousness, unemployment, globalization and digitization of work

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In September 2019, the members of the IYCW International Team (IT) gathered together in Brussels for their annual ordinary meeting. Several events were organized with the participation of the IT and IYCW activists. The starting point of the reflection on different issues young people are faced with was the reality of young workers in Germany and in other countries where the IYCW is present. We conducted an action exchange on young workers’ realities, with a focus on “migrants, refugees and gender inequalities.”

During the exchange, young people from Cologne and Berlin presented their testimonies. Then the members of the International Team relayed some testimonies that reflected the reality of each continent.

IYCW Panel Debate: "Popular Education as an Organizing Tool

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The International YCW, with the support of the International Cardijn Association and the ACV-CSC, is pleased to invite you to a panel debate on the theme: "Popular education as an organizing tool”, its challenges and opportunities in the era of globalization, digitization, work precariousness/unemployment”.

The panel debate will be held on Tuesday 10 September in Brussels, (19 rue Pletinckx) from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

The program is an integral part of the International Team’s plan of work and the international seminar and exchange due to take place in the month of September. It will be a great opportunity to meet friends, activists and long-time fighters, but also the current members of the International Team, leaders of different continents participating in the exchange and the International Team meeting, representatives of the Walloon JOC, KAJ, Spanish YCW and CAJ (Germany), some of whom will take part in the exchange, as well as friendly social organizations.

"Working for a Promising Future", IYCW Intervention at the ILO Centenary, ILC 2019

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ILO19

"WORKING FOR A PROMISING FUTURE"

Dear Director-General, distinguished delegates, thank you for giving us the floor.

We thank and congratulate the commission for this very interesting document. It is indeed crucial to discuss the future of work in this centenial year. It is not far off: new forms of work and the challenges of tomorrow are already here, and we, young workers, are the first to experience them. Just one example from today's young workers’ reality:

"My name is Ana, I live in Nicaragua. I have a university degree. I have now been working from home for 4 years for a US-based customs company. My work schedule is 8 hours a day and the only contact with my co-workers is by email or phone.