The
Transport and General Workers’ Union says a record number of young people have
joined the union.
It
said the main boost has come from young workers in retail, call centres,
agencies and food distribution who are turning to the T&G for protection at
work.
Since
July 2001 nearly 2,000 under-26-year-olds have joined the T&G.
Sharon
Graham, T&G national secretary for Youth and Development said: "Young
people should be valued for the work they do, and in many cases they feel
unable to get their voice heard and their issues dealt with.
"Not
only are thousands of young workers excluded from the national minimum wage,
they often find themselves being bullied at work, or do not receive respect for
the contribution they make to the workplace.
"Young
people, as other workers, join a union for protection and support. Recently the
T&G successfully campaigned in a food distribution company to eradicate the
age-rate system. Achievements like this show that collectively, sustained union
membership makes workplaces better for everyone."
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The
T&G has actively visited schools across the country to educate
11-to-14-year-olds in negotiation and preparation for workplace issues. The
T&G has also launched a text messaging service for members and potential
members.
