CTU calls on Parliament to keep options open on strengthening Youth Rates Bill

The CTU is calling on politicians to keep an open mind on strengthening the youth minimum wage for 16 and 17 year olds as it progresses through the House.

“Young workers face discrimination in the workplace, purely because of their age, and there is broad public support for the abolition of youth rates,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said.

“The select committee recommendation creating a new entrant provision of 200 hours work before a 16 or 17 year old reaches the full minimum wage has problems of principle and practicability.”

“Many young workers are part time and could take half a year to qualify for the regular minimum wage when, using the 200 hours proposal’s logic, they would already be well up-to-speed on the work by then.”

“Our view is that youth rates should go altogether - firstly because we are strongly opposed to aged based discrimination and secondly because we have a clear agenda of lifting low wages.”

"There is strong public support, including business, editorial support in national newspapers and from older work colleagues to remove this discrimination now."

“Unions will continue our campaign to show public support for the removal of youth rates, including through the rally and concert in Auckland next month, and industrially to remove youth rates in employment agreements through collective bargaining with employers.”

“The Government has a proud record over the past 8 years in lifting the minimum wage and partially removing youth wage discrimination,” Carol Beaumont said. “It is now time to again demonstrate strong leadership on an important matter of principle and abolish this discrimination in our law completely.”

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