We've moved to a new site!

Join us at publicservices.international - for all the latest news, resources and struggles from around the world.

We are no longer updating world-psi.org and it will be progressively phased out: all content will be migrated to the new site and old links will redirect eventually.

  1. Home
  2. Issues
  3. Young workers

Young workers

Young people must have the opportunity for decent jobs. Research consistently shows that young men and women are often marginalised. They must overcome more barriers than adults to secure decent employment. Worldwide, young people are three and a half times more likely to be unemployed. Steps must be taken to ensure that young people have access to education, training, and economic opportunities.

28 April 2013 International Workers' Memorial Day

24 April 2013
Vaccine box with Kick Polio out of Nigeria logo

Honouring frontline workers who’ve lost their lives while helping others


On 28 April, International Workers’ Memorial Day, Public Services International and affiliate members join in our workplaces and communities to honour fellow workers who have been injured or lost their lives in the delivery of public services.

Public Services International at the World Social Forum, Tunis 2013

15 April 2013

Public Services International had the strongest global union presence at the World Social Forum 26-30 March 2013 in Tunis, Tunisia. PSI hosted and co-sponsored numerous events on trade union rights, youth, water, women’s issues, tax justice, energy and climate change.

Youth Employment is the way out of crisis workshop

15 April 2013

The world is facing a worsening youth employment crisis: young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and over 75 million youth worldwide are looking for work. Trade unions play an important role in providing a voice for young workers.

Asia Pacific Youth Network Meeting

04 April 2013
PSI Asia Pacific Youth Network members with Rosa Pavanelli PSI General Secretary

A side meeting of the Asia Pacific Youth Network was held during the PSI Asia Pacific Regional Executive Committee in Singapore.

New Zealand PSA : Youth leadership training

29 March 2013
PSA youth leadership training

PSA Youth, the network for PSA members under 35, recently held a two-day leadership training course for young PSA members.

PSI Congress Resolutions

12 March 2013

Resolutions adopted at the 29th World Congress of Public Services International, held in Durban, South Africa, 27-30 November 2012. The resolutions are available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Japanese and Russian.

Decent work for youth and nothing less! Southern Cone Youth Committees begin to mature

10 March 2013
PSI National Youth Committee of Chile, Santiago, 2012

The PSI /IMPACT-sponsored project “Young workers in southern cone: from a project to a union policy”, which took place from 2011-2013, helped to strengthen PSI Regional and National Youth Committees in numbers and representation.

Join Online Consultations for the UN World Youth Report 2013 !

21 February 2013

The United Nations is in the process of preparing its 2013 World Youth Report (WYR) on Youth Migration and Development. The Report will offer a multidimensional account and/or perspective of the life experiences of young migrants and young people affected by migration.

Unity of action drives social dialogue forwards in the Andes

16 February 2013
PSI affiliates in Lima, Peru mobilising on World Public Services Day, 23 June 2011

A Network of Andean Public Administration Unions was created thanks to a PSI /IMPACT-sponsored project which ran from 2008 to 2011 in the Andean region. The project led to a comparative study on national legislations and labour practices and helped to create successful joint trade union actions. In a region where human and trade union rights are constantly violated, encouraging progress was made to drive social dialogue forward and to create genuine dialogue for the transformation of public services.

From doubt to dedication: Young Czech and Slovakian trade unionists get active

14 February 2013
Participants at the young workers seminar in Blansko-Češkovice, April 2009, Czech Republic

Six two-day seminars for 30 young rank and file trade unionists were organised between 2009 and 2011 as part of the PSI /IMPACT –sponsored project “Motivating young workers membership”. Originally intended as a bilateral project between IMPACT and the Czech Health Service and Social Care trade union (OS ZSP), the success of the first few seminars led the project organisers to also reach out to Slovakian and other Czech affiliates.

PSI affiliates in Turkey intensify campaigns against precarious work

10 February 2013
May Day, Istanbul, 2010

Building the capacity of public service unions in Turkey to confront the negative effects of precarious work, especially on women and young workers, was facilitated through project cooperation. The project "Public sector restructuring and decent work" took place between 2010 and 2012.

Training, jobs and decent work for young people in the public sector

05 February 2013

EPSU, PSI's European branch, launched on 22 January its report on "Training, jobs and decent work for young people in the public sector". The event took place in the EPSU offices and was presented by Nick Clark, researcher for the Association for Working Lives Research Institute, London University and author of the report, Céline Moreau (Jeunes FGTB) and Pierre Ledecq (Jeunes CSC).

Vote for the changes that would make the most difference to your world

04 February 2013

The United Nations and partners want to hear from you! My World is a global survey asking you to choose your priorities for a better world. Results will be shared with world leaders in setting the next global development agenda.

PSI World Congress concludes

30 November 2012
PSI Executive Board

As the 29th World Congress of Public Services International drew to a close in Durban, South Africa, delegates celebrated that they had elected a woman to lead their global union federation for the first time in its 105 year history. PSI’s new General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli said, “I’m proud and honoured to carry the fight for social justice forward for PSI, our members and our communities.

Rosa Pavanelli elected to lead Public Services International

28 November 2012

Italian trade unionist Rosa Pavanelli has been elected as the new leader of the global union federation Public Services International, representing 20 million public service workers in 150 countries. Pavanelli says her vision is founded on “giving PSI new energy, and standing up for justice, solidarity, equality, a fairer and more sustainable world.”

The leadership vote took place during PSI’s 29th World Congress in Durban, South Africa (27-30 November 2012). Danish trade unionist Peter Waldorff had sought re-election as general secretary following one term in office.