Retailers to fight union on youth pay rates

    by: Ewin Hannan
    From: The Australian
    March 21, 2013


THE nation's largest union will seek 10 per cent pay rises today for young adult retail workers in a landmark case that has implications for employees across the hospitality and fast food sectors.    

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association will ask the Fair Work Commission to progressively scrap the junior rates of pay for retail workers aged 18 to 20.

Under the current award, 18-year-olds are paid 30 per cent less than the adult rate, 19-year old receive 20 per cent less and 20-year-olds 10 per cent less.

The union's national secretary, Joe de Bruyn, said the union initially would push to have the rate for 20-year-olds lifted, with increases for 18 and 19-year-olds phased in to reduce the economic impact.

According to union estimates, about 25 per cent of 20-year-old retail workers receive adult rates as they are employed by major retailers that have enterprise agreements with the union.


"Eighteen-year-olds are considered adults in every other aspect of life," Mr de Bruyn said. "They're seen as responsible enough to vote and drive, so it's only fair that they're given the same standing in the workplace."

He said when a retail worker turned 18, "they've quite often been working for a number of years (and) many are even in management positions".

The Australian Retailers Association said it would oppose the claim, arguing it would make companies less likely to employ young people.

Executive director Russell Zimmerman said the retail sector had been under significant stress and could not afford to take on 18 to 20-year-olds at higher pay.

Mr de Bruyn said that not paying workers a full adult wage until they turned 21 was "a hangover from decades past".

He cited New Zealand, where the adult minimum wage applies to all employees aged 16 and older who are not new entrants or trainees. "New Zealand has rectified the discrimination and evidence shows it's having a positive impact on employment. Australia is lagging behind the rest of the modern world."

On April 1, the adult minimum wage in New Zealand will increase from $13.50 to $13.75 an hour, significantly less than Australia's rate of about $20.

Mr Zimmerman said retailers' problems had been compounded by the Fair Work Commission throwing out the employer bid to cut penalty rates paid to thousands of retail and fast-food workers.

Business has called on Julia Gillard to drop Labor's plan to "protect" penalty rates in legislation after the decision.

The government is resisting a call by four employer groups to abandon proposed changes to federal workplace laws. The proposals will be detailed in federal parliament today.    

sounds fair ... old enough to drink, vote and drive? then you are old enough to receive a full wage ...

newtown_grafitti wrote on Mar 25^th, 2013 at 9:46pm:


rubbish .. DJ's doesn't tailor suits, they sell them of the rack ...

how useless must you be to not know if a jacket you are trying fits? any adjustments to size are made later and not by the sales assistant ... an 18 yr old can learn to button your jacket and says 'it looks like it was made for you Mr Grafitti' just as well as a 40 yr old.

Kissing ass is easy to teach an 18 yr old ... trying to find one that wants a job that invovles ass kissing, now that is the problem .. pay better and you just may find one.

newtown_grafitti wrote on Mar 25^th, 2013 at 11:09pm:


I'd agree ... DJ's is one of the last remaining dinosours of retail ... it either evolves into something else or dies.

IMO its ridiculous to expect kids between 18 and 20 to get lower wages. Fair enough @ 16 but 18? It should be completely stopped and adults get adult wages.

SOB