Special youth wage scales are being scrapped in an increasing number of pay and conditions deals, according to the FNV trade union federation in Tuesday’s Telegraaf.

Some youth pay scales run up to the age of 27 but these are fast disappearing, the union’s youth wing says.
For example, in the new engineering sector pay deal, youngsters are included on adult pay scales from the age of 23. Twenty pay deals have been adapted over the past 18 months.
‘Once the shortage of staff begins to bite, you need to become attractive for young workers,’ labour market economist Ronald Dekker told the paper.

Unemployment
Youth wages were introduced in the 1980s as a way to tackle high youth unemployment with the idea that companies would be quick to take on youngsters if they were cheaper to employ.
However, in most EU countries, youngsters are included in adult pay scales from the age of 18.
The minimum wage for someone aged 23 and over is € 1,424.40, or €65.74 a day.