New employment minister pressed to prioritise pay equity for 18-year-olds

Amanda Rishworth’s first week in the job has been busy, with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) urging the minister to back pay equity for young Australians.

The SDA union representing young workers is urging the Albanese government to support its application to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for adult wages to be paid towards 18- to 21-year-old workers in retail, fast food, and pharmacy.

The union has penned a letter to new Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth, urging government involvement in its application to the FWC pushing for adult wages.

The Albanese government has been in support of a minimum wage increase through their submission to the Annual Wage Review currently being undertaken by the commission.

“The Albanese Labor government is backing another pay rise for low-paid workers to help with the cost of living,” said Rishworth and Treasurer Jim Chalmers in a joint statement.

“Our economic plan is all about ensuring Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn.”

“After the Australian Labor Party advocated to the Fair Work Commission during the election campaign, today the government has also made a submission to the FWC recommending they award an economically sustainable real wage increase to Australia’s award workers.”

The SDA claims that supporting its submission would be “consistent” with the government’s push for a minimum wage increase, as well as its move to secure penalty rates for workers.

According to the union, the retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors employ more than 1.5 million Australians, with a large portion of the workforce being under the age of 21.

These workers often “receive discounted rates of pay despite the fact that they are highly experienced and have considerable responsibilities by the time they are 18”, said the union.

“They are most likely to have started work at 15 or 16,” it said.

“It is inequitable that an 18-year-old should receive just 70 per cent of the adult rate.”

Gerard Dwyer, national secretary of the SDA, went to bat for young Australians, calling on the government to do the same.

“Eighteen-year-olds can vote, drive and put their lives on the line for their country. Eighteen-year-olds are adults. They struggle with the same cost of living pressures as every other adult,” Dwyer said.

“They do not receive a discount on their bills just because they happen to be 18. They should be paid the same as other adults. Eighteen-year-olds voted for the government in unprecedented numbers. Their interests and wellbeing deserve to be addressed.

“Eighteen-year-olds should not be treated as second-class citizens. Their work is as valuable as anyone else’s, and they should be paid accordingly.”