The SDA is the only union for workers in the retail and fast food industry registered under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act, and has all the rights of a registered trade union. The SDA is the only union recognised by the top trade union body in Australia — the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) — as representing retail and fast food workers. WORKING FOR YOU EVERY DAY PENALTY RATES The SDA has spent the past two years in the Fair Work Commission defending Sunday and public holiday penalty rates from an attack by employers. No one else has been in there defending your penalty rates. The SDA spent over $2 million in the 2012 and 2014 cases in the Commission defending the penalty rates of SDA members. Unfortunately, the Commission ruled in favour of employer groups and decided to cut Sunday and public holiday penalty rates. The SDA and United Voice, the other union affected, challenged this in the Federal Court of Australia as a last effort to stop the cuts. Although we were unsuccessful, we are continuing our campaign to stop the cuts by legislation in the Australian Parliament. ADULT RATES OF PAY The SDA has been advocating for adult rates of pay at 20 years of age in the retail industry as the first step to adult rates of pay at 18 years of age. No one else has been in there arguing for improvements in junior rates. In 2013, the SDA ran a major test case in the Fair Work Commission against strident employer opposition to adult rates of pay for workers under 21. YOUR UNION WE’VEALWAYSBEEN HEREFORYOU PUBLIC HOLIDAYS The SDA campaigned successfully to win Easter Sunday as a public holiday for weekend workers, and to win Christmas Day as a public holiday for weekend workers last year (2016). The SDA recently argued a case in the Fair Work Commission for the right to a day in lieu or a day’s pay when a public holiday falls on a non-working day. For example, under Awards as they stand, a Tuesday to Saturday worker misses out on all Monday public holidays. That’s not fair. We want to fix that. We are awaiting a decision on the SDA’s case. ASSISTING EXPLOITED WORKERS The SDA, in co-operation with Maurice Blackburn solicitors, is assisting workers who have been exploited at 7 Eleven. We have made claims for 33 workers worth $2 million. FIGHTING ATTEMPTS TO STRIP ENTITLEMENTS The SDA successfully lobbied against the Federal Government’s Paid Parental Leave bill which would have stripped away thousands of dollars worth of paid leave from retail and fast food workers. PROTECTING WAGES AND CONDITIONS The SDA is preparing for major argument in the Fair Work Commission in late 2017 and early 2018 to defend our Awards from employer attacks, and to improve our Awards in the current Award Review. The SDA Victorian Branch employs four Industrial Officers, who negotiate Enterprise Agreements for members and argue to protect and improve Award wages and conditions. They also represent members in unfair dismissal matters and other unfair treatment issues. NEGOTIATING AGREEMENTS The SDA works hard to get employers to the bargaining table to negotiate new Enterprise Agreements, which contain regular wage increases. We recently made a break through with a new in-principle Enterprise Agreement at Coles and, after stalling negotiations for the last few months while waiting on the outcome of various fair Work Commission matters, other employers are starting to follow. DAY-TO-DAY HELP The SDA deals with 15,000–20,000 member queries over the phone per year, so we employ three full-time Information Officers to assist members. We also have three WorkCover Officers to give specialist advice on workers’ compensation matters and to assist our members through the complex WorkCover system. We represent up to 200 members at the WorkCover Conciliation Service per year to get benefits for them which have been refused by the insurer. BONUS BENEFITS! The SDA provides a range of other services for members, including free accident insurance (see opposite), legal advice, self defence courses, counselling services, discounts on leisure activities, plus much more! YOU DON’T GET THIS SERVICE ANYWHERE ELSE It‘s worth it to belong to the SDA. It gives you the security of being a member of the only Union which can represent the interests of retail and fast food workers. THE SHOP ASSISTANT SUMMER 2017 15