The Youth Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine was held in Lviv on February 2-4 with the assistance of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. More than 40 representatives of Youth Councils of All-Ukrainian Trade Unions from different regions of Ukraine actively discussed topical issues of youth policy of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine at the present stage.
Youth community of the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” at the Youth Congress was represented by the Head of the Trade Union Committee of Students and Postgraduates, Head of the Youth Council of the Poltava Regional Council of Trade Unions, PhD student Oleksandr Drobotia, who took an active part in the discussion of the most pressing issues of modern youth and priority areas of youth policy development in all regions of Ukraine.
In particular, participants of the Congress analyzed in detail:
- challenges and prospects of youth structures activities in the trade union movement of Ukraine;
- public demands of a modern youth leader;
- successful cases of youth work implementation;
- the role of youth and ways to implement section №11 “For the young generation – new opportunities” of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine Strategy.
During the Youth Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, representative of the European Federation of Public Service Trade Unions Tuscany Bell presented a research “Consolidation of young workers into trade unions”. Initiative Ukrainian youth presented the Strategy of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine for 2021-2026 “Time of Actions and Qualitative Changes” and discussed the current state of the trade union movement in Ukraine.
Successful practical youth cases were shared by Head of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine Hryhorii Osovyi, Deputy Head Yevhen Drapiatyi, Head of the Lviv Region Trade Union Association Roman Datsko, Representative of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine Mariia Kutsevol, who also wished further significant achievements and effective developments in the field of youth movement and the formation of new leaders.
“Topic of the Congress coincides with the tasks set at the VIII Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, so the participants of the Congress must on the one hand – learn the tasks contained in the resolution of the Congress “Youth is the future of trade unions” and, on the other hand – highlight their own youth policy initiatives within trade unions. I believe that the youth wing of the FTUU (Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine) will set the algorithm and dynamics of work for the entire trade union movement of Ukraine and will be able to mobilize young people for those things that are needed by unionists, young workers and students. Jobs, professional and career development are important to them. Therefore, it is necessary to identify what obstacles exist on this path today, and what opportunities we have,” – highlighted Head of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine Hryhorii Osovyi.
Partakers discussed the prospects of youth structures in the trade union movement of Ukraine; the role of the leader and his public demands; held a workshop on internal communications of the Youth Council as well as rethinking the use of messengers and social networks. There also worked a “living library”, which through direct communication acquainted them with the steps and secrets of success of trade union leaders and activists.
During the panel discussion “Issues, challenges and prospects of youth structures in the trade union movement of Ukraine” Oleksandr Drobotia shared his experience of successful work of the Trade Union Committee of Students and Postgraduates of Poltava Polytechnic and established communication with youth leaders of leading Ukrainian universities.
At the meeting of the Youth Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, a new Head of the Youth Council, deputies and a renewed composition of the Youth Council were elected and approved. Ivanna Khrapko, the head of the Youth Council of the Trade Union of State Employees of Ukraine, became the new head. Oleksandr Drobotia, Head of the Youth Council of the Poltava Regional Council of Trade Unions, became a member of the Youth Council of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine.
“For three days, together with the partakers of the Congress, we discussed successful cases of youth policy, tools for their implementation in modern stages of social development and analyzed the challenges facing this path as well as exchanged practical experience and communicated.
In my opinion, such events allow one to delve deeper into the issue, express one’s own opinions, adopt the best experience of colleagues and consolidate joint efforts for more effective implementation of state youth policy. Our further plans are to continue the dialogue with the youth communities of other cities and country regions, to involve the most active representatives of trade union youth organizations in the exchange of experience as well as practical cases and to really influence the current state of affairs. After all, it is for the youth that the future of our state lies,” – commented the delegate of the Congress, Head of the Youth Council of the Poltava Regional Council of Trade Unions Oleksandr Drobotia.
In conclusion, the appeal of the delegates of the Youth Council of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine to the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine and its member organizations was unanimously accepted. There it was emphasized that the formation of civil society and the preservation of an effective trade union movement includes involving young people in active social life, creating the most favorable conditions for self-realization. An effective and efficient youth policy of trade unions should require the active participation of young people in the work of elected bodies at all levels and make decisions in favor of youth only taking into account their needs and interests.
It should be recalled that postgraduate student of Poltava Polytechnic was elected as Head of the Youth Council of Poltava Regional Council of Trade Unions, awarded with Citation of Poltava Regional Council, won Ihor Serdiuk Scholarship of Poltava Regional Council and helps students study practices of local self-governments and parliamentarism.
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National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
