THE STUC has hailed a big rise in membership, with more than 20,000 new young workers joining a union last year.

Young workers from across Scotland headed to Clydebank for the 84th STUC youth conference at the weekend and were buoyed by data from the Labour Force Survey revealing that membership among 16 to 34-year-olds had rocketed by 21,772 — a 12 per cent leap — taking the total to 186,293 in 2023.

Overall trade union membership grew by 2.6 per cent to 664,000 in Scotland over the same period. STUC general secretary Roz Foyer described the figures as stunning, adding:

“Whether it be challenging bad hospitality bosses, coming together to create worker co-ops or standing up for our climate and the future of our planet, young workers’ courage and commitment to our cause is irrepressible.

Welcoming the news, STUC youth committee chairman Josh Morris said: “Over the past year, we’ve seen young workers demonised and derided while we battle an onslaught of bad bosses, precarious work, low wages, cuts to our services and high housing costs.

“But young workers have refused to back down. We have a new government now and we must hold their feet to the fire and ensure that young workers’ concerns are taken seriously and acted on. 

“We need to scrap the Conservative Party’s anti-union legislation and we need to see an end to precarious work in all its forms.

“Bad bosses must be held to account and young workers are leading the way, particularly in the hospitality sector, to bring about real change.  I’m proud of the work we’ve all done over the last year and hope to see it renewed and continued after this conference.”