By DANI ROTHWELL
AS of 1 July, 20-year-old retail workers get the full adult rate of pay.
Up until this point, anyone under the age of 20 being paid on the General Retail Industry Award was only receiving a percentage of the full adult rate of pay, unless otherwise negotiated.
This meant that those aged 18 receive 70 per cent, 19 receive 80 per cent and 20 receive 90-95 per cent.
There has been no change to the 18 and 19-year-olds; however 20-year-olds can expect a top up on their next pay cheque.
The Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA)’s campaign ‘100% Pay at 18+’ has been spearheading this movement.
SDA Victorian State secretary/treasurer Michael Donovan said that young people were the last group to get equal rights regarding their pay.
“There’s anti-discrimination legislation, but the exception is for junior rates of pay,” he said.
“It is generally regarded as a training wage as the view is that they are less skilled until they become an adult.”
Mr Donovan said that this wasn’t the case, as these retail workers tend to have a few years of work already by the time they turned 18.
“Eighteen-year-olds make 100 per cent contribution, but no one gives an 18-year-old a discount,” he said.
But Harry Hutchinson of Harry’s Clothing believes it should be a case by case situation.
“Twenty-year-olds should get the full pay, but that’s the line,” he said.
He does not believe that 18-year-olds should get the full rate of pay, according to the award.
“It should be up to the employer to decide and up to the employee to negotiate,” he said.
Mr Hutchinson doesn’t see this as something that would impact 20-year-olds getting employed.
“They’re adults and should be treated and paid like one,” he said.
On the argument that 18-year-olds are expected to pay the same as other older adults, he said that we all need to only buy what we can afford.
“If just started work, should you really buy a car?” he said.
“People are buying things they can’t afford and relying on credit cards.”
Big W employee of four years and university student, Damien Gunatillake, 19, has five years’ experience working in retail.
He currently gets 80 per cent of the adult rate of pay on his award.
“It’s a five dollar difference an hour, but it makes a difference in the long-term,” he said.
“I could use that to pay another bill or take less time working to be able to study.”
Damien views this pay disparity as frustrating and inequitable.
“It’s frustrating because we’re neglected by legislation,” he said.
“I’d be able to pay for things without having to struggle – it’s about equity.
“It’s unfair because they’re doing the same work as me, even though they’re older and I’ve still got petrol to pay for and bills to pay, yet they get paid more.
“If I’m doing the same work as them, I should get paid the same.”
Moving forward, the SDA is working on getting the adult rate of pay for 19 and 18-year-olds and calls on politicians to act.
“Political parties need to catch up with what the unions are doing,” Mr Donovan said.
