Election 2025 - Your vote matters

Wages are finally starting to trend upwards – SDA members can’t afford for wages to fall again.

As the union for retail, warehouse and fast food workers – the SDA understands that governments can make a real difference when it comes to your health and safety, your wages and your rights at work. Before you vote, it’s important for you to have the facts.

What have unions won under the Labor Government over the past few years?

Strong pay rises in July each year
Hundreds of new Enterprise Bargaining Agreements securing improved pay and conditions
Super on government paid parental leave
Stronger rights for casual workers
Better rights for parents and carers
Stronger protections against sexual harassment and discrimination
Criminalisation of wage theft
New rights for union delegates
The right to disconnect
10 days paid family and domestic violence leave for all workers

Don’t risk your wages and conditions and your rights at work going backwards this Federal Election.

Under the Labor Government wages are growing for the first time in a decade

Under the previous Liberal Government wage growth was stagnant – now under the current Labor Government wages are starting to trend upwards again.

The Labor Government has consistently supported pay rises for working people. Their support includes making strong submissions to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review arguing to lift wages.

SDA members rely on fair and decent pay rises every year to keep up with the cost of living.

Even with wage growth starting to move again, the cost of living continues to cause financial stress for SDA members and their families.

That’s why it’s critical for wages to continue to trend upwards and not fall behind again.

Where do the major parties stand on the big business attack on retail workplace rights including penalty rates and rest breaks?

The Australian Retailers Association has launched a serious attack on workplace rights through its application to change the General Retail Industry Award (Retail Award) in the Fair Work Commission.

The SDA is opposing every unfair and unreasonable change outlined in the application and submitted our arguments and represented retail workers in the Fair Work Commission.

The Australian Retailers Association proposal would reduce rights in the Retail Award including:

Attack on rest break rights
Removing penalty rates, overtime, leave loading and allowances for salaried workers in exchange for a flat rate – putting penalty rates at risk for all retail workers
Reduced rostering rights and protections
Removing rights for a meaningful break between shifts

As the Federal Election approaches, it is important to have the facts about where the major parties stand on this attack on retail workers’ rest breaks and penalty rates.

Labor: The Federal Labor Government has opposed the Australian Retailers Association proposal and urged that penalty rates and wages must be protected. The Labor Government filed a submission to the Fair Work Commission in February this year calling for the proposal to be rejected.

Liberal: The Liberal Party have not committed to protect your rights at work. They are unlikely to oppose the reduction of workplace rights sought by the retail lobby group and have stated they will wind back several of the improved workplace rights put in place by the current government.

What are the differences between the two major parties?

Current Labor Government		Peter Dutton & the Liberal Party
	Supports real pay rises in the Annual Wage Review		Supports policies that keep wage growth low
	Opposes the attacks on retail workers’ pay and rights including penalty rates and rest breaks Will legislate to protect penalty rates if re-elected.		Has not made a submission to oppose the Australian Retailers Association attacks on retail rights. Has voted to cut Sunday and public holiday penalty rates 8 times
	Provided energy bill relief to Australian households		Does not support ongoing electricity bill relief
	Criminalised wage theft		Voted against criminalising wage theft
	Cut taxes for all Australians		Opposed tax cuts for all taxpayers Criticised the 2024 tax cuts for all Australians but now wants a $500 million tax break for business to spend on long lunches
	Introduced superannuation payments on parental leave from July 2025 and will increase the superannuation guarantee to 12%		Froze the superannuation guarantee from 2015 – 2021.
	Increased the paid parental leave entitlement to 26 weeks by July 2026		Opposed introduction of Labor’s government paid parental leave scheme in 2010
	Introduced stronger protections against sexual harassment Introduced 10 days paid domestic violence leave for all workers		Voted against protections against sexual harassment and new rights to deliver respect at work.
	Introduced Same Job, Same Pay laws for labour hire workers		Voted against Same Job, Same Pay laws
	Introduced stronger rights for union delegates		Opposed stronger rights for union delegates
	Introduced the right to disconnect from work		Wants to repeal right to disconnect laws, denying workers their work/life balance
	Reduced HECS debt for millions of students		Voted to increase HECS debt indexation and opposed reducing HECS debt
	Created a genuine pathway to permanent work		Voted against stronger rights for casuals and will wind back greater job security for casuals
	Reducing the cost of medicines		Peter Dutton was ranked worst Health Minister in recent memory by Australian Doctors Magazine in 2015

How do I find out more about voting?

Things to check before you vote:

You are enrolled to vote
Your current address is up to date
You know where to vote on election day
You know how to vote early or do a postal vote if you need to

You can visit https://www.aec.gov.au/ for all the information you need.

Authorised by G. Dwyer, Shop Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association, Melbourne.

Federal Election 2025: What's at risk for retail, warehouse and fast food workers