Significant global events influenced these changes, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 Real hourly earnings (per hour) demonstrated gradual growth over the period 1984-97. This is surprising, given that in recent years there has been a decline in full-time youth employment. However, increased demand for part-time workers resulting from long working hours in retail and other service sectors could be a factor clarifying this trend. Due to the decrease in full-time employees, employers were more willing to pay higher hourly rates to casual workers. It is clear that hourly wages have had a negative impact on employment, suggesting that raising the minimum wage to an even higher level puts pressure on employers to retain their employees. This further suggests that if the minimum wage were abolished and individuals were paid wages not based on their age, unemployment would reach supreme levels. Factors that influenced changes in young people