Youth Fight for Jobs national meeting:

Organising the ‘lost generation’

Helen Pattison

On 10 June 50 young trade unionists, unemployed people and students from all over the UK attended a national meeting of Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ).

Speakers included Brandon Madsen from Minneapolis involved with the Occupy Homes campaign against home foreclosures. Occupy Homes has already seen victories by keeping some people in their homes.

With the Young Londoners Forced-Out Campaign recently launched by YFJ to highlight the housing problems facing young people in the capital, the discussion focused on the housing benefit cuts and the Olympics which are both going to be responsible for rising homelessness among young people.

Several people came into the discussion describing their personal experiences of workfare and how these schemes destroy jobs and drive down the rights of workers as well as exploiting young people.

YFJ played a leading role organising protests outside many of the shops using workfare which won some small changes to the more oppressive aspects of one of the schemes.

During the afternoon session the meeting discussed organising the campaign, giving activists a chance to report back on some impressive campaigning in their areas.

Plans were made for the TUC demo in October where YFJ will be involved in organising a youth contingent, linking together the struggles of workers and young people in the fight for decent jobs and a future.

There was also in-depth discussion of the recently produced YFJ manifesto. A future for the 99% outlines what YFJ stands for as well as campaigning tips. This will be launched at YFJ’s ‘Austerity Games’ on 23 July.