Survey says – hard labour

Usdaw surveyed hundreds of young members aged 18 – 21 to find out their views and how they get by. Responses from more than 500 members revealed:

• Only 16 per cent could afford to live independently - 84 per cent still lived with parents/family.
• 25 per cent found it difficult to afford enough food.
• 14 per cent of the respondents had dependents, and of these 39 per cent found it difficult to afford food and 59 per cent struggled to pay household bills.
• 49 per cent felt they had no opportunity to develop a career with their current employer.
• 41 per cent were combining work with higher education, but of these, 40 per cent found it difficult or very difficult to keep up with studies because of the hours of work.

What you said - debt and despair

"Why should young people be discriminated against by age, but still expected to pay the same rates and bills as those on a higher wage?"

"It is virtually impossible to live comfortably anywhere on that wage (£4.25 an hour) and it provides no incentive to work."

"We can never afford to leave home, can't get a mortgage etc."

You can find out more about the campaign and leaflets for young people, setting out their rights at work, at www.usdaw.org.uk/youngworkers

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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Last Modified: Thursday, 05-Apr-2007 23:25:58 EST
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