Thursday October 18, 2012

Work rights for under 16 year olds need attention

FIRST Union has welcomed debate on a bill that would address protections for children at work.

A members’ bill from Rino Tirikatene was drawn from the ballot at Parliament today. It would grant employment rights for workers under the age of 16, rather than children being engaged as independent contractors.

The issue was highlighted in both a 2006 Caritas survey of leaflet and paper delivery workers and a Fair Go investigation, and Maxine Gay, Retail Secretary for FIRST Union, said the bill should prompt an important discussion about children at work.

“There are legitimate concerns about whether we want to be seen to be encouraging work hours by school-age children,” she said.

“But there is no room to put our heads in the sand and pretend under 16 year olds aren’t at work. And if they are, the deserve protections as workers, rather than being expected to carry out their duties as an independent contractor.”

“In these days of precarious work, there are often whole families, including children, who are at work to bring in enough family income, because of the lack of a living wage for many New Zealanders.”

“And contrary to what might be a popular assumption, children’s work isn’t all a case of earning some extra pocket money.”

“Over a third of students from low-decile schools spoken to in a separate Caritas survey in 2003 identified supporting the household income as their reason for work. And a wider Dunedin College of Education survey found that 15% of low-decile school students were using their income to support the family or for board.”

“How ironic though, that this bill, attempting to put in place a modicum of employment protection for children at work, is drawn on the same day as the government presents its ‘Starting-out Wage’ bill, that takes back the clock on decent wages for people up to the age of 20.”

“This bill should go to select committee and be given a proper investigation, including discussion on both protections for older (16 and 17 year old) contractors, and a minimum wage that under 16 year olds should have access to, which this bill doesn’t address,” Maxine Gay said.

Ends.

© Scoop Media