Industry body National Retail Association (NRA) has joined the fight for greater flexibility in employment arrangements for young retail workers.
The NRA has backed the 'Right to Work' campaign, organised by the Australian Liberal Students Federation, which is calling for the minimum three-hour shift restriction to be lifted for casual workers.
The group said the current laws were keeping student workers out of jobs and the laws must change in order to create more employment opportunities for young people.
NRA CEO Trevor Evans added that retailers would back the campaign, with many keen to offer a couple of hours’ work to university students at peak business periods.
“There is simply no good reason for the government to dictate to workers and employers how long casual workers should be forced to work,” Evans said.
“We’ve heard the argument that young people will be exploited if they are forced to go to work for less than three hours, but we don’t believe the solution is to deny them any work at all.
“If an employer is able to offer two hours’ work each afternoon and a university student it willing to take it, why should the law prevent them from reaching an agreement?”
Employment figures released this month showed the jobless rate for people aged 15-24 has risen to 13.1 per cent – almost triple the rate for people aged 25 and over (4.4 per cent). Only 57.4 per cent of young people now have a job – the lowest level since September 1994.
Evans said retail was the nation’s largest employer of young, unskilled workers, many of whom were potentially disadvantaged by the minimum hours restrictions.
“The most important thing for young people seeking work in retail is to get their foot in the door. In many cases, jobs that begin with occasional shorter shifts will turn into longer, more permanent work.
“In other instances, young retail workers may want only an hour or two of work at the beginning or end of a day, in order to fit with their study or other work arrangements.
“However, retailers are often prevented from offering this kind of work – particularly to university students. As a result, jobs and economic activity are going begging.
“The NRA supports the campaign to change these laws and free up employers and students to strike individual arrangements that suits their individual circumstances.”
The National Retail Association is Australia’s largest retail industry association, and was established almost 100 years ago.