Australian Unions Target Teenagers

Australian labor unions, in an effort to reverse a decline in membership, plan to target teenagers, union officials said.

Plans that have been discussed include offering young workers discounts on union dues and help finding jobs with better pay, The Australian reported.

Union officials are considering a plan to go into schools to educate students about their rights at work and the trade union movement. They said it would only be done with permission from parents and school officials.

Only 10 percent of young employees are union members, officials say, and the percentage is even lower among those holding private-sector jobs. Officials said they hope to capture the next generation of workers.

Only 7 percent of young workers in part-time or temporary jobs are unionized.

Louise Tarrant, national secretary of the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers union, said the number of young members dropped by one-third between 2006 and 2007, a loss she called incredibly significant.