We Work Europe

What happens when you wait 25 years for EU membership – and are still told you’re not ready? In this episode, we look at Bosnia and Herzegovina, where hopes for accession remain high but frustrations are growing.
We hear from politicians and experts about stalled reforms, mass emigration, and the risk of losing the country’s future to other powers. Can Bosnia still find its place in the European Union – and what lessons can be drawn from past enlargements?

On his 34th birthday in 1989, Dr. Konstantin Trenchev helped found Bulgaria’s first independent trade union – PODKREPA. What began as a small act of defiance soon turned into a movement that shaped Bulgaria’s path to democracy and EU accession.
In this episode, we revisit the turbulent years around the fall of communism, the struggles of early trade unionists, and the promises and pitfalls of Bulgaria’s journey into the European Union. What lessons remain from this era – and how do they echo in today’s Europe?

What happens when the promise of prosperity in the EU doesn’t match reality?
In this first episode, we start in Sofia, Bulgaria, where strikes and low wages reveal the frustrations of many citizens. We hear from journalists, union leaders, and researchers about the struggles of EU integration, the rising cost of living, and why the expected “convergence” never fully arrived.
Join us as we explore the hopes, challenges, and disappointments of countries that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 – and ask whether their concerns are justified, and what trade unions and politics can do today.

In the final episode of "Inside Gen Z," we explore how trade unions are working to engage young people in the labor market. Despite a general lack of awareness about unions among youth, initiatives like the CNV's youth department in the Netherlands and Krifa's TikTok presence in Denmark aim to attract younger members. Through real-life examples, including the successful unionization of Starbucks employees, we see the power of social media and grassroots movements. Experts emphasize the importance of listening to Gen Z's demands and collaborating with them to create a better future for all workers.