The Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) landmark decision to abolish junior rates for workers aged 18–20 in retail, fast food and pharmacies is a positive step, but the deck is still stacked against young people.

Currently, junior pay rates apply to workers under the age of 21 on a sliding scale. Those aged 20 receive 90% of the minimum wage, 19-year-olds receive 80%, 18-year-olds receive 70%, 17-year-olds get 60%, 16-year-olds get 50% and under 16s just 36.8% — about $9 an hour.

The FWC decision means workers aged 18 and over will now receive the minimum wage, while those under 17 stay with the lower rates. The change for the former will be phased in over four years, rising by 5% a year from December to July 2029. About 500,000 workers will receive a pay rise.

However, workers will have had to be with the same employer for at least six months to receive the full minimum wage.

Junior rates exploit young people, who often end up doing the same work for less remuneration. The FWC found that many young workers perform the same duties with the same skills as those aged 21 and........

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