Thousands of young workers will protest unfair pay rates this week as the Fair Work Commission deliberates whether to scrap junior wage rates.
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) is campaigning for 20-year-olds to be paid the same rate as 21-year-olds.
They say this will be the first step to having all employees aged over 18 paid the adult rate.
Under the General Retail Industry Award, 18-year-olds are paid 30 per cent less than the adult rate, while 19 and 20-year-olds are paid 20 and 10 per cent less respectively.
"It's a discriminatory practice that needs to be rectified and people are willing to take action to make sure that happens," SDA secretary Joe de Bruyn said.
Workers should not be paid based on their age, he said, and employers should not be allowed to get away with discriminating against junior staff.
"At 18 you're seen as an adult everywhere in society except at work. It doesn't make sense, and we're hopeful common sense will prevail," Mr de Bruyn said in a statement.
The union hopes a decision by the Fair Work Commission will be made before the end of the year.
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