$500,000 IN RIPPED OFF WAGES AND ENTITLEMENTS RECOVERED FOR YOUNG WORKERS

1 November 2007

Almost $500,000 in underpaid wages and entitlements was recovered in the first four years of the Young Workers Legal Service as enquiries and complaints continue to grow in the face of Workchoices.

"The growing number of clients represented and enquiries from young workers and their families shows the Young Workers Legal Service (YWLS) is needed more than ever", Janet Giles, Secretary of SA Unions said today at the release of the 2006/07 Annual Report of the Young Workers Legal Service.

In 2006/07 the YWLS assisted 142 young workers with direct representation and received almost 300 phone enquiries from young people and their families about unfair and sometimes unlawful treatment at work.

"Since it was established four years ago, the service has recovered almost $500,000 in underpaid wages for young workers who were ripped off by their employers."

"In one case the service was able to recover $11,165.96 in underpaid wages and superannuation for a young courier driver.  In another case $8,000.00 was recovered for an underpaid young worker."

"All this from a service staffed by volunteers and operating only one day per week.  I am proud of their achievements."

"There is no doubt there has been a big increase in enquiries since Workchoices highlighting the lack of bargaining power young people have in the workplace.  Young people are really worried, particularly those who are employed in casual and part-time jobs in retail and hospitality and that is reflected in our statistics."

As well the underpayment of wages, the service has represented young workers in relation to unfair and unlawful dismissal, discrimination, complaints by apprentices and trainees, and bullying and workplace safety.

"The removal of unfair dismissal under Workchoices for employers with less than 100 employees has made the work of the service much more difficult.  Most young workers are employed in small businesses where they can be fired for little or no reason.  Reinstatement in these cases is very difficult to achieve."

The main industries that young people worked in are retail (19%), hospitality (16%), administration and clerical (11%) and the hairdressing/beauty industry (9%).

"There is no doubt that Workchoices has made life much tougher for young workers and directly resulted in more work for the YWLS", Ms Giles concluded.