A group campaigning against the re-introduction of a youth wage handed over 500 submissions against the proposed law change at Parliament on Tuesday.
Same Work Same Pay includes the youth wings of the Council of Trade Unions, and the Labour and Green parties.
This week, a select committee will begin hearing submissions on a bill that would allow some younger workers to be paid 80% of the minimum wage for the first six months of a new job.
A campaign spokesperson, James Sleep, says having to work for $10.80 an hour would force young people into poverty.
"There's no research which suggests that cutting the wages of young workers is going to create jobs. The problem we have is 85,000 young people are out of work, education and training.
"They need real answers - and that's apprenticeships, government supported job placements, easier access to higher education. It's not lower wages - that's not going to create jobs."
