The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) this week announced Ireland’s first Trade Union Week, which will take place between 29th April and 6th May 2024.
ICTU said the week of coordinated events in workplaces and local communities in and across the island of Ireland will be “the largest mobilisation of trade union members in decades”, with an open invitation extended to all workers in Donegal to take part.
Trade Union Week will mark the culmination of ICTU’s Better in a Trade Union campaign, which was launched this month to promote the values and benefits of trade union membership. The Better in a Trade Union campaign highlights benefits such as enhanced job security, advice and support, improved terms and conditions of employment, and better pay for Donegal workers.
Almost half of young workers would join a trade union
In a recent RED C omnibus poll, 44% of 18-34-year-olds in employment stated they would be interested in joining a union. Their leading reasons for doing so were that trade unions:
- Provide employment protection in the workplace, and
- Negotiate better pay and conditions.
Speaking at the launch this week, ICTU General Secretary, Owen Reidy said union members benefit from higher wages than non-unionised workers, and there is a growing awareness among young workers, in particular, of the benefits of trade unions.
“We know that everyone is better in a trade union, and there’s a cohort of younger workers, in particular, who recognise the need to have someone in their corner, fighting for employment protections, better pay and working conditions,” he said.
“They understand that these rights are only achieved through collective action, so Trade Union Week is our call to everyone in Donegal to get involved.
“For young people, trade unions provide hope in helping them navigate the mounting socio-economic challenges for their generation – such as the housing and climate crises. They also recognise the power of collective bargaining, and how it leads to better rates of pay.
“In our recent RED C poll, we asked people why they hadn’t yet joined a trade union, and the most common response was ‘nobody ever asked me to’. The Better in a Trade Union campaign, culminating in Trade Union Week, is our ask to everyone in Donegal – come to a Trade Union Week event, speak to a union rep in your workplace, find out more on unions.ie. You will find a union that will fight for your rights to better pay, working conditions and job security.”
Trade Union Week activities will take place in workplaces and local communities in Donegal between Monday, 29th April and Friday, 3rd May, including information stalls and social events, activities in schools, colleges and universities, and public talks, table quizzes and film screenings.
For more information, visit www.unions.ie.
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