As young workers, we all have our share of work stories. Whether it’s being underpaid, losing out on casual shifts or not being trained properly, chances are you’ll have experienced something like this. Individuals in these situations often consider that maybe their experience is unique and it is just unfortunate that they’ve ended up in a job with poor wages and conditions. We know however, that this is not the case and young people are one of the demographics most vulnerable to workplace exploitation.
Young workers are often seen as dispensable. If you complain about your pay and working conditions as a casual, you could soon face the prospect of not receiving shifts as a punishment. We know that wage theft has been a huge issue and one of the greatest achievements to date for young workers in Queensland is putting wage theft on the map and highlighting how much young people are losing due to intentional underpayment every year.
The next issue to deal with as young workers is insecure work and what this means for our future. 76% of workers aged 15 – 24 are in casual employment which is the most commonly identified form of insecure work. When we lose out on secure work, we lose our financial security and ability to plan. So that’s what we at the Young Workers Hub want to change.
Are you a young worker and have a story of your own? We’d love to hear from you. Click here.