A stable job, career opportunities and affordable housing. These are the issues the CSdL is putting at the centre of its agenda ahead of World Decent Work Day on 7 October, which this year is dedicated to younger generations. The Confederation is calling for a roundtable discussion on the factors holding back the birth rate and is once again urging the repeal of the legislation on “atypical residencies,” which it describes as a measure to curb soaring rents and rising housing prices.
The first issue is that of young people leaving San Marino, particularly after completing higher levels of education. For the union, this is “a warning sign that has been known for years but is underestimated, and which also affects the birth rate.” Its judgment is blunt: “A country that lets its younger generations slip away has no future.”
Gaining experience abroad can enrich one’s personal and professional path, the CSdL acknowledges. The real challenge, however, is creating the conditions for young people to return, so that the skills they have acquired can be put to use in San Marino. In this context, the union sees the Association Agreement with the European Union as crucial, as it would allow young people to move between European countries and access study and work opportunities on a par with their peers in member states.
On the domestic front, according to the Confederation, the private sector still does not offer satisfactory answers, particularly for the most highly qualified young people, both in terms of job classifications and career prospects. Women are hit hardest, despite having higher levels of education than men on average. The union also points to the concerns of many female workers aged between 18 and 24, who fear that “having a child could worsen their job prospects.” Added to this are the difficulties of returning to work after maternity leave.
For the CSdL, then, the falling birth rate is also linked to the quality and stability of employment. The recent law supporting families and birth rates introduces greater protections and new tools, but the Confederation is calling for broader dialogue: “The CSdL is asking for a roundtable to be opened to find the best solutions to all the factors that negatively affect the decision to have children.” Among these is the cost of housing, with rents and property prices described as “prohibitive.”
The international day is promoted by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), to which the CSdL is affiliated, and this year’s theme is “Young workers organising for the future.” On the afternoon of 7 October, confederal secretary Stéphane Colombari will take part in an ITUC online seminar on the conditions faced by young people in different countries and on the role of trade unions in responding to their aspirations and encouraging their participation.
