Tea Jarc is 35 years old, comes from Slovenia and was chairman of the Youth Committee of the European Confederation of Trade Unions until June and his main goal is to “bring back the values of defending labor rights to young people” because, in his opinion, , “there’s still a lot of idea that labor defense movements are an old thing, from the generation of parents or grandparents.”
The trade unionist was in Lisbon for the conference European young leaders (Young European Leaders) and, in between discussion panels on the future of Europe and youth, he had time to talk with the DN in the gardens of the Assembly of the Republic, where the sessions of the first day of the conference took place.
Currently, Tea Jarc chairs a trade union in Slovenia, Mladi Plus (Younger), which represents about 1,200 people and she describes as being “a little different”, because, he explains, he works and focuses “mainly on trying to represent the youngest, those who are in the transition from school to the labor market. That is, young people at the end of high school, unemployed young people or with precarious contracts.” This is “a bit revolutionary” for Tea, as it has a specific focus and “opens up the union movement to more categories of workers.”
“As young people, we have to have higher expectations and we have to fight for that. We cannot condone a system that leaves young people and the most vulnerable people behind.”
The presence at the event in Lisbon – which took place in Parliament and elsewhere in the city, such as Teatro São Luiz – partly reflects the urgency that youth issues have in European politics, says the trade unionist (also calling herself an activist). “What we want [no Mladi Plus] it is to regain values and the fight for labor rights and bring young people closer to the cause. By being here you can do just that, you can show why unions are relevant, perhaps more than they have been so far.he considers. European young leaders it is ultimately seen as “a privilege, where it is possible to discuss different topics and have different perspectives from all over Europe and above all to look for concrete solutions to problems.”
For Tea Jarc, the policy of the future must be made with young people in mind and also involve them in decisions, something that the representative of the European Commission in Portugal, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, had already adopted in the past at the DN Augustus. Also because, says the activist, “young people are not a homogeneous group of people. There are several concerns that need to be heard, however cross-cutting they may be”.
And give the example: “Many face challenges from a mental health standpoint, others face uncertainty, and there are those who are simply trying to survive from day to day.something that ultimately hurts the citizen participation of these younger age groups, the activist believes. “I think there will always be a need to involve more young people in society. With so many concerns, young people are exhausted and have no energy to participate in more substantial activities or topics, such as activism”. However, the trade unionist abandons the challenge: “As young people we have to have higher expectations and for that we have to fight. We cannot condone a system that leaves young people and the most vulnerable people behind”. Something that, in his view, ultimately justifies young people’s access to social life and civil society.
“Be here [no European Young Leaders] allows us to show why unions are relevant, perhaps more than they have been so far.”
Despite the lack of homogeneity among European youth, Tea Jarc manages to list some short-term challenges that may affect young people. “First, we must not forget the economic crisis that is hitting us as a result of the pandemic and of course the inflation that results from it. In addition, we still have the war in Ukraine and concerns about climate change”states, stressing that the solution could ultimately lead to “joint responses, determined by the Member States”.
The conversation with DN took place on top of the State of the Union address (which took place on the 14th). Subsequently, the trade unionist took the opportunity to give a short presentation on what the European Union is like for her, criticizing the closeness between the institution and the citizens. “I think the EU remains far removed from its citizens, who believe that the discussions [políticas] do not correspond to your daily problems. The Union is trying to give enough answers, but they are clearly not enough.” “It is necessary to bring policy, decision-makers and decisions closer to the citizen”.
Source: DN
