Young workers deserve equal pay, say Dundee Liberal Democrats
Dundee Liberal Democrats today (Wednesday 11th October) gave their support to calls by Jo Swinson MP, LibDem Shadow Scottish Secretary, for the Labour Government to outlaw wage discrimination against young people.
The minimum wage recently rose to £3.30 per hour for 16-18-year-olds, £4.45 for 18-21-year-olds and £5.35 an hour for over 21s.
Dundee Liberal Democrat local party secretary Michael Charlton said, "The different rates of minimum wage dependent on age are very wrong. Why should someone be paid less for the same work simply on grounds of age?"
The possibility of legal challenges over these varying pay rates has been raised by the Government's new age discrimination legislation which came into effect on October 1st.
Jo Swinson MP said, "By outlawing age discrimination at work while operating a policy of lower minimum pay for young workers, Ministers have walked into a legal minefield.
"They must remove age barriers and operate one standard minimum wage for workers of all ages, before legal challenges to the minimum wage begin to flood the courts."