Histadrut Unites with European Youth Unions for Solidarity and Progress at Power to the Union Youth!  

Three Histadrut representatives participated in last week’s event in Berlin – Power to the Union Youth! Hosted by DGB Jugend and ETUC Youth and returned with important insights and deep appreciation for the Histadrut’s inclusion in this important event.

Representatives of the Histadrut’s Working and Learning Youth organization, NOAL, Or Ratzabi and Tomer Shrem, and Gary Kaplan from the International Relations Division of the Histadrut, were honored to participate in the Power to the Union Youth! event in Berlin last week. The event, hosted by DGB Jugend and ETUC Youth, garnered immense appreciation from the Histadrut’s representatives, highlighting the deep-rooted and special relationships between the Histadrut and these esteemed organizations.  

For the representatives from the Histadrut, this event proved to be an exceptional opportunity to engage with fellow youth representatives from European trades unions, including prominent members from TUC in Britain, Spain, Turkey, Italy, and more. It served as a platform for fostering solidarity and understanding, as they explored shared struggles and challenges. Through insightful discussions in various workshops and informal interactions, the event further cemented the bonds of mutual support and brought them closer to achieving their common goals. 

One such shared struggle that captivated intense discussions during the event was the pervasive challenge of the “platform economy.” The impact of this expanding phenomenon on global work conditions was thoroughly analyzed, providing valuable insights for all participants. Or, a union secretary at the Histadrut, found the discussions particularly enlightening, as these helped contextualize the Israeli experiences within the broader global perspective. The exchange of ideas and experiences surrounding the platform economy further deepened the understanding of its implications and paved the way for potential strategies to address its effects on young workers.  

She noted that “NOAL and the Histadrut have the responsibility to continue our commitment to these workers and understand the depth of this phenomenon. It is clear that this trend is here to stay. Its’ goal is to expand and control more and more parts of the labour market. For me, the event emphasized that for this fight, we have many partners from union organisations across Europe.”    

Tomer, the NOAL organizer of union youth at the Histadrut, was also inspired by the unionization efforts for precarious workers shared at the event. Reflecting on the experience, he highlighted the significance of realizing that NOAL and the Histadrut are not alone in this endeavour, and expressed a strong desire to learn from the diverse range of unions present at the event. Tomer noted, “there is much to learn from the shared experience of a myriad of unions – how each is able to bring the idea of unionization to the world of work.” 

Furthermore, the event reaffirmed Tomer’s belief in the vital role of youth participation and leadership within workers’ unions. He emphasized the importance of young unionists, stating that “their connection with the concept of unionization and their identification with unions are pivotal for the continued existence and influence of unions in the realm of labour.”  

Or, Tomer, and Gary expressed special gratitude to Kristof Becker, the Federal Secretary of the DGB Youth, who extended the invitation to the Histadrut’s participation in this event. They noted that they are looking forward to continuing fighting together for mutual challenges with their cherished friends from DGB Jugend and ETUC Youth.