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On Youth Day 2010, the Congress of South African Trade Unions salutes the heroes and heroines of 16 June 1976, whose fearless confrontation with the forces of the apartheid dictatorship paved the way for the freedom and democracy we enjoy today.
As we celebrate the glorious World Cup which our democratic South Africa is so proudly hosting, let us never forget that but for the struggle and sacrifice of those young South Africans, we could still be the international sport pariah that we quite deservedly were in those dark days.
Today's youth face new problems however. Statistics indicate that young African men have an unemployment rate of 39% by the narrow definition of employment, and 48% by the definition which includes discouraged work seekers.
Young people under 29 make up 27% of the employed. If you include those up to 34 years the number increases to 44%. 31% of African men earn under R1000 per month compared with 1% of young white women. 46% of young African women and 48% of African women over 35 years earn under R1000 per month. And young workers are more likely to be in informal, contract and part-time employment.
As its contribution to the Youth Month commemoration activities, COSATU hosted a Young Workers Seminar on 9 June in Johannesburg.
The Seminar, which drew scores of young workers, including shop stewards from COSATU affiliated unions, focused on among other things, youth unemployment, strategies for organising young workers, and initiatives that trade unions have embarked upon to organise young workers.
The delegates at the seminar were unanimous in raising the importance of creating young workers' structures within the unions to ensure that when young people take membership of a union their voices will be heard.
According to a study conducted by the National Labour and Economic Development Institute (NALEDI), younger workers are less likely to be hostile to unions even though they are also less likely to be members. NALEDI's survey also indicated that 40% of younger workers say they don't belong to a union because there is no union in their work place.
The young women workers raised some concerns that young women workers are facing a daunting challenge at the work place, as they normally enter into a male-dominated environment. The same environment also prevails in the unions and as a result they are unable to participate fully in the life of a union.
During the discussions there was a general consensus among the young workers that youth groups or structures within the unions must be established to raise the voice of young workers and to build networks of young activists.
The seminar also deliberated on exploring alternative ways of communicating, networking and raising awareness, using web-based and electronic communication. Other forms of organising that were explored include using popular culture, art, poetry, film music and sport activities. By so doing, the young workers will be communicating in the language that they understand.
The seminar also noted that there was a strong need to build links with students, through the student movement and educational institutions with a view to introducing students to trade unions.
In a bid to ensure that young workers' voices are heard, COSATU affiliated unions have embarked on various initiatives including establishing youth desks, youth networks, student unions and targeted recruitment campaigns.
If the youth of today are to really enjoy the benefits that their predecessors fought for 34 years ago, they have to get organised. The political freedoms we have won will be of little use if millions of young people are still living in poverty, and hopelessness, if they do not receive the education they need as individuals and we need as a society and are not fully empowered to take control of their destiny.
So let us rekindle the spirit of 1976 and fight to complete the struggle for freedom so that future generations can inherit the full benefits of the national liberation struggle.