Half pay for young?

Press, 4 August 1981, Page 6

Half pay for young?

PA Wellington The Employers’ Federation considers that half of the adult pay rate would be "about right” as a youth rate for the youngest' workers, according to the federation’s executive director, Mr Jim Rowe. He said that in the unskilled area youth could be defined as somebody aged 18 or under. In the skilled area the age could be higher because of the greater skill element involved and the

higher wages earned in later life. The absence of youth rates worked against the employment of young people because the ojder, more experienced worker was favoured when the wage cost was the same. Mr Rowe said. "If youth rates were introduced across the board, this would not go against the employment of older people but would tend to create new jobs.” The federation had considered the suggestion of legis-

lation to restore youth rates where necessary, 'ideally the federation would prefer to negotiate directly with trade unions on the matter but the federation would have to be realistic. The union movement did not seem to be all that interested in looking at constructive means of improving job opportunities.

Several main awards had youth rates. These rates were only minimum rates: if an employer thought that a person was worth more, then more could be paid.