On the occasion of Labor Day, May 1st, the Working and Learning Youth Association reveals data from the last year (2022) that present a grim picture of the exploitation of working boys. The positive side: Thanks to referrals to the Histadrut of the Working and Studying Youth, approximately one million shekels were returned to the workers.

On May 1, a protest celebration of approximately 4,000 apprentices of the working and learning youth and the general union will be held at Beit Ariela as a sign of a struggle for social rights and against exploitation at work.

63% of the youth, which are approximately 450,000 youth according to the CBS data, work or worked during the year 2019. This is an increase from the findings of the previous study, conducted in 2014, when approximately 36% of the youth reported that they work or worked that year .

Youth work is characterized by high turnover and low bargaining power resulting from a lack of training and a sufficient supply of jobs. The combination of all these makes the working youth one of the most vulnerable populations in the Israeli labor market and therefore the most exploited.

Most of the youth are exposed to exploitation and violations of the law and they find themselves defenseless – the cases of exploitation, big and small, appear in every corner and in all branches of work.

Highlights of the 2022 data:

Thousands of inquiries were received, including about 2,000 significant inquiries (not just questions and answers) in 2022, a total of about one million shekels was returned to the employees.
About 2% of the applicants were under the age of 14 – the minimum age for employment, 10% were between the ages of 14-15, 31% between the ages of 16-17 and 35% between the ages of 18-20.
76% of the applicants are Jewish and 24% came from the Arab sector.

Branches:

The fast food industry and the restaurant industry lead with 17% of the 21 inquiries (for a total of 34%).
Sales (stores) – 7%.
Banquet halls – 6% of inquiries.

Sections of the complaint:

63% of the applicants complained about problems with the payment of wages – withholding of wages, payment of wages below the minimum, etc.
47% complained about lack of payment of social rights – overtime, vacation, etc.
40% complained about illegal dismissals.
31% complained about a lack of pay slips and/or failure to notify the employee.

The Working and Learning Youth Union was established in 1924 (then the Working Youth Union) by and for working youth. The Working and Learning Youth Union is part of the General Union, and its role is to take care of the working youth and young people up to the age of 25, in various branches such as waiters and couriers.

The Working and Learning Youth Organization aims to fight the exploitation of teenage girls and boys in the workplace, and at the same time to create alternatives for a better world of work, among other things through promoting youth and young people's organizations, signing collective agreements and creating fair and educational employment, along with educational activities, group training , providing tools and increasing the awareness of teenagers and young people to recognize their value, power and rights in the world of work.