Youth wages rate ‘disgrace’

Press, 7 August 1981, Page 9

Youth wages rate ‘disgrace’

PA Wellington Discount prices at some supermarkets were made possible by the payment of discount wages or youth rates to young employees, a Shop Employees’ Association advocate, Mr R. L. Campbell, has said.

He said the association had lodged claims to increase youth rates being paid to young workers covered by some of the main shop employees’ awards. The youth rates were “a disgrace to the industry which have done nothing to increase employment.” he said.

“Discount wage rates are the scourge of retailing and when you buy low-price or cut-price goods you should understand that it is often the young shop employees serving you who is paying for your discount.

"Far from helping to get more jobs, we have had instances where young people are sacked for no greater sin than reaching adult age. Such practices are even upheld by the Arbitration Court so that youth rale systems are being used as cheap labour mechanisms and nothing more. “In the supermarket industry a worker who starts at under 17 years of age gets only 47 per cent of the adult wage and does not reach adult wages until three years after he is entitled to the rate.

"How can Mr Bolger or Mr J. W. Rowe, secretary of the Employer's Federation, justify a worker of 19 getting only $110.83 in gross wages for a week's work? How can a young adult get an independent start in life on that basis?" Mr Campbell said.