It was something Grace Blakeley said that first drew my attention to the little-discussed relationship between young people and trade unions in the UK today.
For those unfamiliar with Blakeley, she’s a prominent economist, writer, and journalist known for her sharp critiques of late capitalism. Alongside her economic commentary, she’s released music, travelled through Central America, moved to Cornwall, and taken up surfing. Her latest book, Vulture Capitalism, is now a bestseller.
What caught my eye recently was a post in which she noted that 50 years ago, young men worried about inflation eating into their wages would have joined a union.
‘Today,’ she said, ‘they put all their savings in crypto and vote for tax cuts in case they become billionaires.’ She added that communities once formed to tackle such issues collectively were systematically dismantled by both major UK political parties. In another interview, she argues Thatcher turned everyone from citizens into consumers. The result? Many young people feel they must face economic challenges alone.
Of course, there’s another possibility: maybe young people simply aren’t ‘joiners’ anymore. But this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re disengaged. A perhaps surprising recent survey by the University of Glasgow’s John Smith Centre (JSC) found that nearly two-thirds of young people (63%) are optimistic about their future, and almost three-quarters (72%) describe themselves as ‘rather or very happy.’ Youth-led protests around the world—such as in Turkey—offer further signs of active engagement. It’s not all doom and gloom.
Still, Blakeley may be right: young people should be more concerned about economic inequality. Financial independence is becoming harder to achieve thanks to high rents, rising council tax, energy bills, and a generally unaffordable cost of living. Post-COVID, there’s also been an uptick in benefit reliance—lifesaving for many, but for a small minority, perhaps demotivating.
The JSC also reports that young men in the UK tend to lean more right-wing than young women. While most young people identify as politically centrist, parties like Reform UK are courting younger male voters, including those drawn to controversial figures like Andrew Tate. In contrast, Blakeley urges young people to take ownership of their political future—pushing for structural reforms like public ownership, stronger labour protections, and wealth redistribution. In theory, these would benefit young workers and union members alike. In practice, however, such policies are often sidelined.
Youth Officer Hollie Gregg as part of the CWU Northern Ireland Telecoms Branch focuses on engaging and representing young workers within the Union. She said recently in Belfast: ‘Young people are more likely to be employed in lower job classifications so more likely to be on lower incomes. Young people are more likely to be victims of sexism, misogyny and sexual harassment. They are often not taken seriously and their voices silenced and their concerns brushed aside. As a trade union movement it is imperative that we are not part of the problem.’
Meanwhile, union membership continues to decline. Between 2010 and 2023, overall membership fell by 4.2%. Some specifics:
+ GMB: -5.23%
+ CWU: -14.46%
+ Unite: -20.76%
+ UNISON saw only a marginal increase of 0.12%.
Unions claim to support young workers—advocating for better pay, safer conditions, and fair treatment. Yet insecure contracts and low wages remain widespread. Many unions campaign against zero-hour contracts and for a higher minimum wage, but these battles are far from won. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has pushed for a real living wage and argued against age-based pay discrimination. Yet even today, many young workers are still vulnerable to unfair treatment, unsafe workplaces, and even wage theft.
To their credit, unions such as Unite, GMB, and USDAW have fought against unpaid internships and exploitative gig economy jobs. But with leadership in many unions ageing fast, critics argue some senior figures are clinging to six-figure salaries rather than fostering the next generation.
Still, unions offer more than protest. If a young worker is dismissed unfairly, harassed, or underpaid, unions can provide legal representation and support. Many also run workshops, apprenticeships, and mentoring schemes aimed at building careers—not just defending them.
So why aren’t more young people joining? The TUC’s Young Workers Forum offers training and campaigns for fair pay and workers’ rights. Campaigns like HeartUnions and Why Join a Union? aim to raise awareness. But outreach is still uneven. Young workers are online, on campuses, and in gig jobs—unions must meet them there.
Leadership opportunities also matter. Training in activism is common. Training in leadership? Less so. If unions want young people to stay involved, they’ll need to create space at the top.
Some unions already have active youth arms:
+ Unite supports apprentices, trains youth leaders, and fights exploitative contracts.
+ GMB Young Workers campaigns for wage transparency and an end to zero-hour deals.
+ USDAW runs the Stand Up for Young Workers campaign.
+ CWU features high-profile young spokespeople like Chloe Koffman.
+ BFAWU has led fast-food strikes for better pay.
+ UCU defends early-career academics from job insecurity.
Blakeley believes the issue runs deeper than union strategy: she says young people lack a ‘materialist education’—an understanding of political economy and labour history. She herself joined a union while working at Morrisons and continues to champion their potential.
Now, with a Labour government in power after 14 years of Conservative rule, unions may be approaching a moment of renewed relevance. But will young workers see them as a genuine path to economic security—or as a relic of the past?
In the end, it’s not just about protesting unfairness. It’s about building power. And that starts with the decision to join.
