Young transport worker leaders demand action today in order to secure tomorrow.
This International Youth Day (12 August), the International Transport Workers' Federation Young Workers Committee is calling for action to tackle precarious employment, strengthen union representation, and secure decent work and quality apprenticeships for young workers across the transport sector.
Young transport workers — from platform workers and dockers, to aviation, rail, and road transport staff — too often face insecure contracts, limited access to training, and weak representation in the unions and structures that shape their working lives. They are also disproportionately impacted by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) in transport and logistics – while being the most prepared to harness the opportunities it brings in union organising and youth empowerment.
“Young transport workers are the first to have entered their jobs while facing a series of interlinked challenges that we’ve never encountered before – whether it’s the rise of AI, spiralling climate change and extreme weather, outsourcing or precarious contracts,” said Preeti Singh, ITF Youth Committee co-chair.
“Winning the fight against these challenges requires strong unions – and strong unions need young workers. We must continue to do all we can to mobilise the next generation.”
On International Youth Day, the ITF is calling for:
- Fair representation — a real voice for young workers in union structures and decision-making
- Job security — an end to precarious contracts and exploitative employment practices
- Skills development and training — access to quality apprenticeships and career progression
- Protection from exploitation — safeguards against unsafe and unfair working conditions
- Global solidarity — young transport workers standing together across borders and sectors
“We’ve consistently heard from young workers that they must be heard and empowered in our union movement,” said Nick Loridan, ITF Youth Committee co-chair. “And that means creating the structures that can truly enable this – leadership roles, positions on decision-making bodies and formal committees, these all allow young workers to enact the changes that they know must be made.
“We must drive real change for young workers by investing in young workers.”
The ITF’s call for empowerment builds on ITF Resolution B04, adopted at ITF Congress in Marrakech, October 2024.
The resolution sets out the ITF’s commitments to young workers worldwide, from advancing their representation within the ITF and urging the same from the ITF’s affiliated trade unions, through to protecting young workers from discrimination and exploitation, and supporting initiatives and opportunities to enhance training and education opportunities for young transport workers.
Baker Khundakji, ITF Director of Young Transport Wokers, said: “Young transport workers know that to win the fights we face, they must be recognised as the leaders, campaigners and organisers that so many of them already are.
“The ITF will always keep young transport workers high on the agenda and support their growth and empowerment – because we know that this is how we win now, and in the future.”
ENDS
