The joblessness rate among young people is two times higher than the official figures, being around 50%, the head of the Youth Organization of the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova Stela Stratila-Sarbu said in a news conference, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to her, the National Employment Agency’s data show that only 27% of the young people in Moldova are unemployed, but the situation is different. “We know that many of the young people do not register at the labor exchange and the unemployment rate among them is even 50%. Many young people work illegally and benefit from no social or economic protection. That’s why the trade unions provide support to the employees and can intervene when an employee is treated unfairly,” said Stela Stratila-Sarbu. Chairman of the National Confederation of Trade Unions Oleg Budza said that for the first time next week the Confederation will sign an agreement with the National Employers Confederation, whereby the employment-related interests of the young people will be promoted. “The employers are very important partners. We will negotiate with them the working conditions, salaries and provision of workplaces. We will promote the draft collective convention on social protection of the young people at national level,” said Oleg Budza. According to him, the most serious problem of the employed young people is that they work without a contract and receive salaries unofficially. Thus, the employers do not pay state taxes and do not contribute money to the state budget. “About 3 billion lei circulates in the underground economy. This money is not taxed and is not transferred to the state budget. Thus, we do not have resources to implement different social projects for the young people,” said Oleg Budza.