About

ITF Youth is a dedicated department for young transport workers within the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) structure.

We are supporting youth to lead the trade union movement of today and the workplaces of tomorrow.

Through young transport workers’ networks, capacity building activities and our dedicated Youth Committee, the ITF is supporting youth to take the lead in shaping the workplaces of tomorrow.

A Growing Movement

Since the adoption of Resolution 20 at the 44th ITF Congress in 2018, the ITF has made significant strides in empowering young transport workers. Thanks to the dedication of our affiliates, ITF Youth membership has grown by 59%—from 1.1 million in 2018 to 1.8 million in 2023. Young workers now make up 26.2% of ITF’s members, a remarkable increase of 10 percentage points, despite challenges like the Covid-19 crisis.

2024: Reaffirming our Commitment

At the 46th ITF Congress in Marrakech, the ITF renewed its pledge to support young transport workers through the motion ‘Empowering Young Transport Workers in the ITF’. This motion calls for:

• Advancing participation and representation of young workers in projects, activities and decision-making roles;
• Actively supporting young workers in securing decent work and quality apprenticeships;
• Establishing and maintaining strong youth structures to advocate for young transport workers' rights;
• Protecting young workers from exploitation and discrimination based on identity or beliefs; and
• Supporting training and education opportunities for young transport workers.

Looking Ahead: Priorities for 2024-2029

The ITF Youth Department will focus on these collective goals over the next five years to create a just and sustainable present and future for young transport workers:

Youth Empowerment: continue to build youth membership and youth structures in our unions, regions, sections and departments;

Decent Jobs and Training: campaign, bargain, and advocate for young transport workers’ decent jobs, quality apprenticeships, and training opportunities;

Future of Work: build the future of work, by promoting food delivery riders’ rights;

Mental Health at Work: educate, campaign and bargain on mental health at work as a core occupational health and safety issue;

Inclusive Workplaces: build safe, inclusive unions and workplaces for all; and

Sustainable Transport: organise, campaign and advocate for just transitions and sustainable transport systems.

Together, we are building a present and a future where young transport workers can thrive.

Because making space for young workers starts with making time for their voices to be heard, we have launched a digital storytelling training programme, Stories in Action, in collaboration with The Public design studio.

The ITF Youth Storytelling Programme celebrates the incredible power and potential of young transport workers who are stepping up to shape their unions and build a just, equitable future for all. Through their personal stories, this programme seeks to inspire, educate and mobilise young unionists and the next generation of union leaders and activists.

This initiative highlights the real-world experiences of young workers who are:

Driving Change: creating or strengthening youth representation within unions;

Improving Jobs: negotiating for decent work and quality training for young workers;

Shaping the Future: transforming how unions approach the evolving world of work;

Promoting Workers’ Wellbeing: safeguarding mental and physical health at work;

Championing Equality: advocating for inclusivity and equal rights in the workplace; and

Fighting for Climate Justice: campaigning for a just transition and sustainable transport systems.

These are stories that must be told and heard—to inspire young workers everywhere to join unions and take an active role in shaping their industries and futures.

A Platform for Authentic Voices

The programme offers young transport workers a unique opportunity to find and share their voices. It encourages innovative and creative storytelling, ensuring that experiences and lessons that might otherwise go unnoticed are brought to the forefront.

Whether through written narratives, videos or other media, this programme empowers young people to craft and share their own stories in ways that resonate with them and their peers—sparking action and creating a lasting impact.

Join the Movement

Every story told is a step towards a stronger, more inclusive labour movement. Discover the power of storytelling, and help us amplify the voices shaping the future of transport unions.

The first cycle of this exciting project started in May 2023, with 16 young transport workers. We plan to offer additional cycles in the future to accommodate a wider range of languages and time zones.

The opportunity for participants is as follows:

• Learn how to tell compelling stories with assistance from expert facilitators and peer support from a group of fellow young trade unionists;
• Receive technical training on the storytelling medium of your choice (photography, video or audio);
• Identify a story about young workers and trade unions of your own choosing to share and develop over the course of the programme;
• Discuss how our stories can be distributed and how we can use them to influence change; and
• Earn a digital storytelling certificate from the ITF upon completion.

The first series of stories can be viewed here. These stories include prompts which ask you to share your thoughts and experiences.