This process has seriously affected people’s vision of the world, even changing their cultural identity and replacing it with collective imagery that, in most cases, tends to rely on consumption as a means of reaching fulfilment as individuals.
As a result of the prevailing economic structure, humanity is suffering from a process of cultural, moral and axiological uprooting, giving rise to individualism, undermining social integration and the very needs of human beings, which develop naturally within society. These processes are influenced, in the main, by competition and the trading of anything on which a price can be placed.
Needs that were once basic have been transformed, influenced by fashion, supply and demand, ostentation and the media, etc.
Alongside this system, a large number of options have been emerging as alternative methods not only of governing but also of defending people’s rights and freedoms, such as the organisation of people into unions and social organisations or the creation of NGOs, etc.
Young people have not been divorced from these organising processes. Over recent years, although the youth of Colombia is often stigmatised as being vulnerable and marginalised from virtually all the political processes developed within the country, we have, in fact, been the driving force of organising processes in Colombia, as demonstrated by the youth movement that gave rise to the Constitution of 1991, known as the seventh ballot paper (séptima papeleta).
The forces of neoliberalism, however, have developed a strategy to de-legitimise such organising processes, as it is through these that people express their disagreement with the way they have been managing power and the priorities of the state.
It is for this reason that the unions have been so crudely stigmatised as organisations trying to bleed companies economically dry, to the point of destroying them.
It is due to this stigmatisation that the young people of Colombia are averse to organising processes that involve joining a trade union, in addition to the continuous and systematic murder of trade unionists and the eradication of trade union organisations through the use of dubious contractual arrangements, as seen with the associated work cooperatives, OPS, temporary employment agencies, etc.
In light of the above, the Colombian trade union movement has been forced to adopt a range of strategies to attract young people to join the movement in a voluntary and committed way. They include the natural fight against labour outsourcing (which prevents workers from joining a union) and the intensification of the fight for trade union rights and freedoms, etc..
We are aware that the first essential step is to raise people’s awareness about the trade union movement, which is why we have developed a campaign with this aim in mind. As part of this initiative, we have begun manufacturing T-shirts and wristbands inviting young people to take an active part in such processes.
However, these are general trade union campaigns aimed at the population in general. They include the discussion being held at present on the use of the trade union contract as a way of strengthening unions and improving workers’ quality of life.
The trade union movement by no means disregards social organisations, in which the young population participates most widely. We have been creating links with youth organisation fighting for social justice and historical memory. We have worked with these organisations, though the CGT, assisting in the development of their activities and inviting them to take part in ours, with a view to strengthening the image of social movements, intensifying them, and creating a broad and united front to defend the interests of our country’s workers.
An example of this process is the initiative developed by the youth department of the CGT to promote a legislative proposal for decent work for young people in Colombia. We have urged most of the sectors in the country to take part in this discussion, with a view to strengthening tripartism and social dialogue.
To conclude, we should point out that organising young people in Colombia is not an easy task, as we are cheap labour and owing to the permissiveness of Colombian legislation we are among the most vulnerable in terms of job stability. The CGT has, nonetheless, been increasing and promoting the participation of young trade unionists in our organisations’ leadership structures. By doing so, it is not only fulfilling the task of preparing the new generation of leaders but is also encouraging the participation of young people in the workers’ fight for social justice.
