Key demands include: stable employment, fair wages, paid internships, mental health support, protected free time and sick leave, and zero tolerance for discrimination. WOW also urges greater cooperation across all sectors to support Generation Z.
Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z now forms a growing share of the workforce. As digital natives, they’ve grown up in an online world—with smartphones, social media, and constant connectivity shaping how they communicate and work. They value diversity, flexibility, and purpose in their jobs—and are quick to move on if those values aren't met.
Yet many young workers are facing serious obstacles in the labour market, including:
- Precarious employment: A rise in fixed-term, part-time and freelance contracts is fuelling financial insecurity and limiting access to social rights.
- Low pay and pay gaps: Many young people—especially women and minorities—are underpaid compared to older colleagues.
- Unpaid internships: Still common across Europe, unpaid internships exploit young talent and hinder long-term career prospects. According to the European Social Policy Network, such roles often fall outside social protection schemes.
- Mental health pressure: Stress, anxiety, and depression are rising among young workers. Renew Europe reports growing mental health concerns, including loneliness and burnout.
Meanwhile, fragmented EU legislation fails to adequately protect young people, with wide disparities in enforcement across Member States.
To give Generation Z a fair start, WOW demands:
- A ban on unpaid internships
- An EU minimum wage that applies to everyone in all Member States
- Equal access to holidays, sick leave, and training, including for interns
- Stronger protection against discrimination of all forms
- Promotion of a healthy mental work environment
- Respect for the freedom to join trade unions
- Closer collaboration between public institutions, businesses, unions and youth groups
Supporting Generation Z is not just fair—it’s an investment in our shared future.
Read the full position statement: www.wow-world.org/generation-z-is-storming-into-the-labour-market-it-calls-for-action