Retail workers in their late teens should be paid the same as their 21-year-old colleagues according to the retail union, but businesses say it could cost jobs.
The Retailers Association of Australia says increasing 18-year old workers' minimum wage from $12 per hour to over $17 an hour will reduce 18- to 20-year olds access to part-time retail work.
Importer and retailer Abdu Idris told SBS he couldn't absorb a wage hike.
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"Big difficult .. of course because wage come up .. expense come up .. rent come up and the market going down .. this hard you know," he said.
But the retail union is taking the case to the Fair Work Commission arguing that if people are old enough to vote, join the army and run for parliament, they should be paid the same amount as older colleagues.
"I've become quite experienced in the work I do. I even train people who are getting paid more than me to do the job I do because of the experience I've achieved," said retail worker Kaitlin.
