ITF president Paddy Crumlin commented: “Young working women and men are essential to what we do in the trade union movement worldwide and especially to our ITF. We’re holding this conference in Argentina in recognition of the determination of young people in the country and in Latin America especially, in the face of the great challenges in securing employment under decent working conditions. Young workers worldwide understand that their involvement in trade unions secures their rights and opportunities. Their energy, determination and courage - so clearly visible through their campaigning and their activism – to secure their present and future inspires working men and women everywhere in the face of great challenges and adversity and reinforces that our movement is as important today as at any point in the past. Our support for them is absolute.”
ITF general secretary Steve Cotton explained what the conference will achieve: “We’re going to have more than 130 youth delegates from 79 unions around the world together in one room. They’ll be looking at priorities for young workers globally, things like how they tackle the challenges of automation, digitalisation, the rise of app-based working. These are the people who are leading the way and we are committed to supporting them as workers, trade unionists and activists. This event is part of the ITF’s Pathway to Congress taking us up to our four-yearly decision making Congress in Singapore in 2018. Youth are central to this process.”
Julián Sosa, co-chair of the ITF young transport workers committee and representative for La Fraternidad union, Argentina, which is hosting the event, added: “This is a unique opportunity for young workers globally and we’re proud to have the event here in Argentina. The ITF is putting young transport workers at the centre of priority work and we – ourselves as that youth contingent – need to work out how we make the most of those opportunities. That’s why the next few days are about strategy, they’re about practical implementation and they’re about building global power through young workers.”
Media are invited to attend a press conference at 10:00 on Wednesday 29 March at the Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Conference Centre, San Martin 1225/1275, 1104 CABA (www.sheratonbuenosaires.com). Press outside Argentina are invited to follow the conference on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram via #WeAreITF #SomosITF #NousSommesITF
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The ITF is a global federation of 700 unions, representing more than 4.5 million transport workers from 150 countries.
