Youth unemployment

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 20

Youth unemployment

Sir,—J. M. Tooker’s urging lower pay for young workers (February 8) is no solution to unemployment Lowering already low youth rates advantages only greedy employers, and increases adult unemployment. Data on the duration of unemployment shows young persons in employment (or job-training) sooner than older unemployed workers. Urging lower wages for the already low-paid is part of

the monetarist notion that the rich have not enough money and the poor have too much. This philosophy in the last six years of National Government brought each year lower taxes for higher incomes and tax increases for lower wages. Recently higher salaries were increased upwards of 30 per cent, while the Labour Government urged less than 15 per cent for those on lower wages. A healthy internal economy allowing due social participation and responsibility necessitates adequate living wages, not pittances.—Yours, etc., L. M. SLATER. February 8, 1986.