Young Workers' Perceptions of Trade Unions in Portugal

Capturing the different perceptions related to distinct educational and work experiences is fundamental for assessing the propensity of young people to unionize. However, the literature has paid little attention to this subject in the Portuguese context. In this paper, we analyze young workers' perceptions of trade unions in Portugal, considering their individual life and work trajectories. It is argued that, despite the great vulnerability of young workers and their weak unionization, their perceptions of trade unions are not homogeneous. The results obtained from content analysis of semi-structured interviews reveal three main types of perceptions linked to different segments of young workers, characterized by different work and life experiences and socio-economic positions: positive perceptions, negative perceptions and critical perceptions.