GOVERNMENT AGE DISCRIMINATION ON PAY MUST END

12.00.00am GMT Thu 24th Jan 2008

As the government's new minimum wage campaign bus wends its way across the country, West Midlands Euro MP Liz Lynne is urging ministers to end discrimination against young people by setting a lower wage level for the under 22s.

Recent research by the Liberal Democrats revealed that over 620,000 young people are earning less than their older counterparts for doing the same work. The minimum wage in the UK is lower for 18 to 21-year-olds, and lower still for 16 to 17-year-olds, who are also exempted if they are apprentices.

Liz Lynne MEP, Vice President of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee in the European Parliament whose years of campaigning eventually forced the UK to ban age discrimination in the workplace, said:

"The government's new campaign to raise awareness of the minimum wage makes a mockery of the situation. Of course I am concerned that some employers are flouting the minimum wage rules, but I am equally concerned and frustrated that we are still left with unacceptable age discrimination in pay.

"In 2007, the government finally banned age discrimination in the workplace, seven years after I made sure a move to outlaw age discrimination was written into the EU Employment Directive in 2000. It was a disgrace we had to wait so long.

"The European Union has, quite rightly, no direct competence in pay, but the new UK law set the principle that age should not be an indicator of an individual's value as an employee. Given this, it is absurd for someone aged 16 to be paid less than someone aged 18, who in turn is paid less than someone aged 22, all doing the same job.

"Young people deserve and need equal pay now more than ever. They face unprecedented problems from rises in the cost of living, a lack of affordable housing and student tuition fees. It is little wonder that debt and bankruptcies among young people have increased so much.

"Train and bus fares are soaring way above inflation, yet many young people rely on public transport and if they are over 16 they have to pay the full adult fare.

"Lower wage rates for apprenticeships or specific on-the-job training positions are one thing, but a blanket exemption on young people from the minimum wage is totally unfair.

"It is a disgrace that both Labour and Conservatives continue to think it is acceptable for society to pay someone less than the going rate for the job just because they are a certain age."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Liz Lynne MEP has called on the European Commission to bring forward a directive to ban age and other forms of discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

An investigation by the Liberal Democrats found that in 2006-2007 628,000 young people age 16 to 21 were earning less than older counterparts for doing the same work.

For further information on the UK minimum wage: http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/pay/national-minimum-wage/index.html