Industrial Workers of the World

from the Vilola Rants in the latest ABOUT TIME

Many bosses try to justify paying young people poverty wages. Below are some of the myths they use backed up by some real facts about the situation.

Boss’s myth: Young people need more supervision and training than older workers. That’s why you get paid less.
Worker’s fact: Many young workers have had previous work experience. Some have even worked as supervisors or managers. While all workers need some initial on the job training it is rubbish that young people are harder to train than adults. Often they are much easier to train.

If young people needed more training than older workers why is it that bosses often write young workers off the roster once they have turned 18 or reach the full adult age? This is only because it costs them more. They are not interested in having workers with experience only workers with small pay packets. The practice of writing people off the roster is of course illegal, and it’s discrimination on the basis of age. An employer cannot sack you for being too old.

Boss’s myth: Young workers don’t deserve the adult wage.
Workers fact: The fact is employers expect young people to perform the same duties and work just as hard as everybody else so it’s only fair for young workers to expect the employers to pay them a decent wage. The concept of equal pay for equal work should apply to all.

Boss’s myth: Young people are lazy.
Worker’s fact: Across the country 16 and 17 year olds are employed as supervisors and duty managers. Often they have to supervise people twice their age. The pace of work in fast food and retail is also much faster than in industries dominated by older workers. Most of the time young workers are juggling work and study commitments. This can hardly be called lazy.

Boss’s myth: Young people don’t have to support families. Therefore you don’t need full pay.
Workers fact: Most young people do support themselves in some form and often contribute to their household income. Young workers don’t get half price rent, food or petrol. If we get charged full price for the cost of living it is only fair that we get full pay. Because of youth wages many young people are forced to live in poverty even though they have jobs.

Boss’s myth: Abolishing youth rates would increase youth unemployment
Workers fact: The argument that employers will be less likely to employ young people if they have to pay them more is rubbish. There is absolutely no evidence to support this. When unemployment is at such low levels and with a chronic skills shortage where are they going to find these people to fill the jobs? Also most fast food and retail outlets want to attract young customers that is why they employ young workers.

Fight to abolish youth rates
Youth rates hurt all workers because the lowest wage in a labour market determines all other wages. This means that adults are more likely to be forced into accepting lower wages if they know that the boss could employ a young worker for less. Low adult wages mean more young people working on low youth wages to support their families. The long-term end result is lower wages for all workers. For students and young workers this means working extremely long hours just to make ends meet.

Age discrimination is just like all other forms of discrimination including sexism and racism. If we stick together we win. A win for young workers, is a win for all workers!