The report, aptly titled Dirt Cheap and Disposable, took two years to compile, based on interviews with 800 young workers in South Australia.

Up to 36% of the young workers interviewed were pressured to work overtime without pay, up to 43% were forced to work while sick, up to 42% were forced to work through meal breaks, 22% were fired for reasons they felt unfair and 17% were fired or lost shifts after a birthday.

The report found that 35% suffered an injury at work, but just 50% of these injuries were reported and only 25% lodged a workers’ compensation claim.

The report also found that 25% of the young workers had been bullied, while 21% had been sexually harassed at work.

How are employers getting away with such blatant disregard for workers’ rights? The report points out that 30% of respondents were being paid below their award rate, with training rates as low as $5.95 an hour.

“In the drive for profits, too many employers are blatantly taking advantage of vulnerable young workers. We need much tougher protections, and we need them quickly, as federal moves to strip back workplace rights will leave young workers even more exposed”, SA Unions secretary Janet Giles said in response to the report’s findings.

PM John Howard’s ‘‘solution’‘ is to further tighten the screws on young workers, especially those in training and on apprenticeships.

On September 21, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the government plans for the so-called Australian Fair Pay Commission to set minimum wages for young workers.

Under the proposed legislation, the commission’s decisions will override any existing awards, cutting out certain conditions contained in those awards and removing rules on the content and length of training.

The government has a clear industrial relations agenda: to push back workers’ rights as far as it can. This is bad for all workers, but especially for more vulnerable sectors of the work force like young workers.

Now is the time to join the fight-back.