Press release: EndYouthRatesNow.com campaign

National Distribution Union, Radical Youth, Unite Union, Youth Union Movement

Friday, 10 August 2007, 10.00am

Protest: last chance for youth rates bill

A protest and gig with Nesian Mystik in Auckland tomorrow at 12 noon, Britomart, is the last chance for young workers to legislatively end youth rates for 16 and 17 year olds, says EndYouthRatesNow.com.

The Government will vote and make any final amendments to a watered down youth rates bill as early as next Wednesday the 15th of August.

EndYouthRatesNow.com spokesperson Simon Oosterman says that Labour and New Zealand First used their select committee majority to water down Green MP Sue Bradford’s bill to end youth discrimination against 16 and 17 year olds.

Under the amended bill’s “New Entrants Rate” young workers would have to work 200 hours from their 16th birthday before they could be paid equally with their adult co-workers.

“Tomorrow’s protest and gig is an opportunity for young worker to voice their opposition to youth rates and to continue building our campaign to end youth rates and poverty wages industrially,” he says. “Some politicians seem to think that it would only take five weeks for young workers to work 200 hours, but for the majority of young workers – who work 10 hours or less a week - it would take 5 months or more.”

Mr Oosterman said that the bill doesn’t take into account any work done before a workers 16th birthday and that the bill should be extended to include 15 year olds and under.

Unite union member Gary Richards, 17, a cinema attendant at Hoyts Cinema Sylvia Park on $9.50 an hour works between 10 and 20 hours a week. “I’m sick of being paid less than adults – sometimes I think it’s hardly worth the effort, but I want to take some of the financial hassle off mum,” he says.

National Distribution Union member Melanie Cawte, 16, a cleaner at Rainbows End recently won a $1.80 pay rise with her union workmates taking their pay to 90% of the adult rate. “The bill needs to go through in its original form so that we get equal pay for all young kiwi workers now,” she says. “But if the bill doesn’t go through, Rainbows End workers are ready to get rid of youth rates ourselves next year and help others join a union to do the same.”

Radical Youth spokesperson Ayesha Arora, 17, earns $9.04 an hour at Kmart and works 8-9 hours a week. “’Youth rates’ is just a nice name for exploitation. Like any form of discrimination we’ve got to stand up, get organized and fight back.”

Young workers around the country are also holding actions at Manners Mall Wellington, Cashell Mall (outside Ballantynes) Christchurch and Meredian Mall, Dunedin are also getting underway at 12 noon on Saturday

ENDS

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