EZA MAGAZINE
EZA PODCAST

Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the employment and social life of young people

From October 25 to 27, 2022, a seminar was held in Chinchón/Madrid on the “Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the employment and social life of young people”, as organised by USO – CCFAS (Unión Sindical Obrera – Centro Confederal Training and Social Action), with the support of EZA and financed by the European Union.

A total of 35 representatives of workers’ organisations from Albania, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Serbia and Ukraine participated.

The program was divided into 5 modules:

  • Youth during the pandemic: effects on their social and work life and personal development. Changes in training and professional relationships.
  • Youth, employment, and emancipation: socio-labour data on the effects of the covid crisis.
  • Mental health and youth.
  • Young people back to the rural world, a successful case of entrepreneurship.
  • How has the attitude of young people towards work changed: what are they young looking for?

Conclusions

Youth have been a sector of the population that has been particularly hard hit by the covid pandemic and its effects. Their jobs, often the most precarious, have been the first to disappear. But not only the job itself. The number of young people who, despite having a job, are poor has grown; that is, the number of young workers at risk of exclusion has grown. The pandemic has also affected their social integration, their collective life and their mental health.

In general, not only regarding youth, the pandemic, as well as now the war, has been the excuse to cut labour rights. This has happened throughout Europe, with different examples, such as the normalisation of having to work on Sundays in commerce and distribution. This loss of rights has affected the entire population, but it hits young people first, since their jobs are more precarious and they fall earlier.

Also, the covid-19 crisis has also come after a constant crisis since 2008. This has caused many workers, and especially young workers, to already find themselves in a vulnerable situation so as not to be able to cushion a new crisis.

Young people have suffered negative effects on their health, their employment, and their life project, such as further delaying the age of emancipation. And in health, especially mental health, the incidence of disorders such as anxiety, depression and extreme cases, suicidal desires, and suicide itself have grown notably.

But the pandemic has also caused changes in young people:

  • They are more family centered: they value more time with their loved ones.
  • They put their life priorities above finding any kind of job: they do not accept all kinds of conditions.
  • They have expanded their range in the job search: there are new jobs and new ways of working, such as remotely.
  • The gender gap in technological jobs on offer is narrowing due to the express digitisation that the pandemic has brought about in work and training.
  • The population, and the young population, better accept mental health problems and recognise their own. The pandemic has gradually destigmatised mental health.

Thus, the attitude of young people has also changed regarding work and their participation in society:

  • They expect much more from a job than a decent wage and good hours. They also seek conciliation, social benefits and team building.
  • Young people, contrary to how some press articles paint them, are supportive and associative. However, they do not find their decision-making space in these associations and, specifically, in the trade unions. Something that drives them away from them. Something that takes them away from us.

In addition, the measures that are developed in some countries can help us think about implementing them in our countries. For example, facilitating the arrival of young digital nomads, who help alleviate the depopulation of some areas and feel comfortable in other vital, more natural spaces.

Finally, trade unions must look for young people and not let young people find us if they don't know that we exist or what we are for. Trade unions must trust our young trade unionists, give them a voice and leave them free to reach out to other young people.

Trade unionism is more necessary than ever, especially for young people. If young people have changed what they expect from a company and we demand that companies adapt to them, we as trade unions must also adapt to these post-pandemic young people and rejuvenate trade unions by asking them what they expect of us.