Union Membership Fee Increase

Union Membership Fee Increase – Effective 1 July 2025

From 1 July 2025, SDA membership fees will increase for the first time in two years by a modest 7%. The new membership fees operative from 1 July 2025 are as follows:

Weekly Membership Fees from 1 July 2025

• No hours per week                                                Nil
• Less than 10 hours per week                               $4.80
• 10 but less than 20 hours per week                   $8.60
• 20 hours per week or more                                 $12.10

Why the Increase?

The SDA represents over 13,000 members in our region and 200,000 nationally. To continue delivering strong support, advocacy, and services, we must ensure we have the resources to meet rising costs.

What Has Been Achieved with Your Support

This modest increase is far outweighed by the wins we’ve secured together with our members over the last two years:

Increased Wages: A 9.7% increase over two years through our “Better Wages, You’re Worth It” campaign, plus a 1% superannuation boost. From 1 July 2025, minimum Award wages will rise another 3.5%, surpassing $1,000 per week, and super will increase to 12%.

Securing Your Rights and Conditions: In the last two years, the SDA has secured 22 new Enterprise Agreements delivering higher wages, better hours of work, more leave entitlements and protecting your hard-won conditions at work.

Campaigning: The SDA continues to campaign for and win better rights for SDA members including:

• Fighting for wage justice for young workers to secure adult rates of pay at 18 years and improved rates for those under 18.
• Stronger penalties for customer abuse and violence, winning new laws in NSW that mandate increased jail time for those who assault retail and fast-food workers.
• Winning new rights for labour hire workers to receive equal pay as our members directly employed in distribution centres.
• Winning superannuation to be paid on Government-funded parental leave and campaigning for employers to pay superannuation on every hour worked by employees under 18 years.
• Campaigning for free, safe parking at shopping centres.
• Successfully advocating for the closure of all retail shops on Anzac Day in NSW.
• Campaigning for an additional public holiday in NSW.
• Taking McDonalds and Aldi to Court to recover millions in unpaid wages.
• Fighting for stronger protections for young workers, including requiring working with children checks in workplaces.

Member Benefits and Services

This is in addition to the many Union services we provide:

• Over the last two years, we have paid out over $78,000 to members under our free accident insurance which covers all members outside working hours.
• Members have access to a range of benefits and discounts and up to 10% off their groceries and other purchases under our SDA Member Rewards program.
• Opportunity to win free textbooks and educational supplies through our education scholarships.
• Many other benefits and free service that can be found on our SDA Members Area.

Fair and Flexible

Our fee structure remains modest compared to other unions, which is dependent on hours worked. Note that a casual who does not receive hours of work in any week does not pay union fees. They only pay in the weeks they work.

Union fees are also tax deductible, reducing your out-of-pocket cost. So don’t forget to claim your fees when you submit your tax return.