The Unionization of Young People in Australia

Abstract

In 1982, 53 per cent of adult employees (25 years and older) in Australia belonged to a trade union while 44 per cent of young adult employees (20 to 24 years old) and 31 per cent of teenage employees were union members. This article describes and analyses the unionization of young people in A ustralia. The principal issue addressed is why the unionization of young people is low relative to that of adults. Several key reasons emerge. These are the non-unionization of apprentices, the industrial distribution of the employment of young people (with their over-representation in low-unianized sectors) and high turnover rates among young employees. Contrary to expectations, the number of hours worked does not contribute to the explanation of the relatively low unionization of young people.