The
TUC is calling for a minimum youth wage to boost the income of thousands of
working 16 to17-year-olds.
Currently,
the national minimum wage doesn’t kick in until employees are18 years old, and
youth workers can be paid as little as £1 or £2 per hour.
The
TUC estimates that a young workers rate of £3.00 per hour would increase the
pay of 10 per cent of staff in this age group – some 65,000 young employees.
A
rate of £3.60 would be likely to benefit around 45 per cent of young workers –
some 290,000 people.
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Brendan
Barber, TUC general secretary elect, said: "A government report from two
years ago said that the days of employers paying workers £1 or £2 per hour are
gone. But there are reports of 16 and 17-year-olds being exploited in this way,
and without an enforceable minimum wage, they have nowhere to turn."
