Young workers must be active partners in shaping future, says union youth chair

Young workers must be seen and treated as central to the future of Barbados and its workplaces, not as bystanders to decisions made about them, newly elected chair of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) Young Workers’ Committee, Chaunaci Belgrave, has said.

Belgrave told reporters that attracting young people to trade unions goes far beyond mere recruitment figures. She said that young workers represent the future of the nation, the workforce, and the trade union movement itself, despite many currently remaining disconnected from organised labour.

High youth unemployment remains a major barrier to engagement, reaching 18.5 per cent in 2025, significantly outpacing the national unemployment rate of 6.5 per cent. Alongside economic uncertainty and the rising cost of living, young employees frequently encounter systemic dismissiveness in the workplace, Belgrave said.

“Many young workers feel unheard, underestimated, and at times belittled because of their age,” Belgrave said, noting that terms like ‘youth’ are far too often mistaken for incompetence rather than recognised as potential. She declared that young people are frequently invited into professional spaces without being genuinely included in decision-making processes or empowered to contribute meaningful solutions.

A lack of foundational labour education further compounds the divide. Belgrave explained that many individuals enter the workforce completely unaware of their rights, the role of trade unions, or the value of collective bargaining. Because labour education is largely absent from school curricula, prospective union members are left questioning the basic relevance of the movement to their daily lives.

She called on labour organisations to evolve by intentionally investing in mentorship, youth leadership development, and robust educational initiatives. However, she also challenged young workers to take personal responsibility for their professional growth.

“We cannot simply ask for seats at decision-making tables; we must prepare ourselves to sit at them,” Belgrave said, adding that leadership is a responsibility to prepare for rather than an inherited title.

She urged young workers to become dedicated students of the labour movement, equipping themselves to address modern challenges such as artificial intelligence, climate change, mental health, and the future of work.

Belgrave highlighted the need to bridge the generational gap to ensure the long-term sustainability of trade unions and said the future of decent work and economic justice in Barbados relies on a generation of informed, empowered workers. (RR)