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Young workers call on G20 Labour Ministers to tackle youth unemployment

Young trade unionists from all over the world are meeting prior to the G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting to discuss the dramatic situation of young people looking for a job.

Brussels (14 May 2012) - Since the economic crisis began, the rise in unemployment has hit young people particularly hard and threatens long-term growth potential.

Breaking into the particularly damaging cycle of high and rising youth unemployment is necessary to "buy time" for young people until broader measures can be successful in kick-starting job growth in the global economy.

On May 14 and 15, young trade unionists from all over the world are gathering prior the G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico to focus the G20's attention on the dramatic situation of young people looking for a job. 

A new report, "The Social Crisis Behind the Economic Crisis - the Millions of Young People Unemployed" (download here), focusing on the situation of young European workers and the answers from the trade union movement to the problems they face, will be released at this gathering of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Youth Committee.

"Wage policies need to ensure that young people receive 'the rate for the job'. Minimum wages for young workers must not be lowered - this would only spark a race to the bottom," said Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary.

"The rights of young workers should not be compromised through weakening their protection at work."

Meeting participants will also discuss the forthcoming International Labour Organisation (ILO) International Labour Conference, the Rio+20 Summit, how to increase the representation of young people in trade union organisations and experiences with trade union renewal.

The Guadalajara event is the sixth meeting of the ITUC Youth Committee since the Confederation was founded in 2006. The Committee includes young men and women from each region: Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Americas and Europe.

The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has 308 national affiliates.

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