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The 2019 TUC Summer Patrol for Young Workers

An initiative to promote employment rights for young workers just entering employment or in casualised work. Please register below for the training weekend
Our objectives

If you are interested in taking part in this project - please *register here* for the training weekend taking place 6-7 April 2019 in Doncaster.

In July 2018, LO Norge (the Norwegian TUC)  in Møre and Romsdal region invited TUC Yorkshire & the Humber and activists from the GMB and BFAWU unions to observe and participate in their annual summer patrol exercise targeting young workers.

This patrol operated on the basis of a business door-knock, where activists travelled from town to town, visiting businesses unannounced to speak to young workers about their conditions and rights at work.

Four young trade union delegates from Yorkshire took part, and observed an incredibly successful and inspiring project which:

  • Raised the profile of trade unions with young people
  • Acted as a watchdog to scrutinise application of working rights by businesses
  • Gave unions a data collection and press opportunity to draw attention to ZHCs, low pay, safety concerns, insecure work
  • Fostered an important cross-union sense of solidarity and an important socialising opportunity for young trade unionists to build networks, which encouraged a high level of participation

Due to these factors, the patrol experience is a hugely positive first or early encounter with trade unionism both for young workers being interviewed, and for the activists participating in the patrol.

Our proposal is to test pilot this patrol model in Yorkshire, as a trade union best practice for engaging with young workers and encouraging a higher level of trade union activism from existing young trade unionists.

If you are interested in taking part in this project - please *register here* for the training weekend taking place 6-7 April 2019 in Doncaster.

With 2019 voted the Year of Young Workers at the TUC’s 150th Congress in Manchester, TUC Yorkshire & the Humber's Regional Executive has voted to support a pilot of the Summer Patrol as the key young worker campaign in the region.

Following four successful test days in Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield, where we gained access to 90% of businesses canvassed, we will be pressing ahead with the full pilot scheme in South Yorkshire in June 2019.

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