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As 2024 comes to a close and Christmas is nearing, I want to take this opportunity to thank SDA members, SDA Shop Stewards and Delegates, SDA Organisers and staff who have shown their support this year.

It has been a huge year for the SDA with new Agreements negotiated for Woolworths, Coles, Kmart, Officeworks, H&M, Super Retail Group, Primary Connect HFDC, Big W DC Warwick and many others.

We negotiated these Agreements, to produce beter wage outcomes and improvements in conditions for SDA members.

ADULT AGE ADULT WAGE

We also launched the Adult Age = Adult Wage campaign, aiming to remove junior rates for 18-20 year-olds in the retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors.
The application was filed on the 6th of June 2024, and we will continue to campaign and build our case on the matter into 2025, until we receive a ruling on the application.

No One Deserves a Serve

We have also continued our work promoting the No One Deserves a Serve campaign. With your help we’ve achieved so much already including:

  • Establishing a new Retail Employee Safety Council;
  • Customer Signage up in stores across Australia
  • Research and trials on preventative measures
  • Support from Members of Parliament.
  • Securing tougher penalties for perpetrators of customer violence in Queensland.

While incidents of customer violence and abuse happen year-round, as the shops and fast food outlets get busier in the festive season it can lead to an increase in abusive and violent behaviour.

I remind members to always report any instances of customer abuse and violence – and if your manager does not take it seriously, contact the SDA.

Your employer should be doing the following to keep you safe at work:

  • Provide training: you should receive training on what to do when incidents occur and where to go for support if you need it.
  • Clear reporting: if an incident happens, it must be reported so there is a record of it. Your employer should make it clear and easy for you to report abuse and violence.
  • Banning customers: abuse and violence towards workers should not be tolerated and repeat offenders should be banned from your store or shopping centre.

SDA MEMBER WINS

We’ve also had a great number of industrial wins this year including:

  • Woolworths BRDC members receiving back pay for incorrectly calculated exempt rate payments; and
  • Kmart DC Lytton Agency members now being paid at the Agreements Rates, the same as directly hired employees. This has meant an extra $8-$13 per hour.
  • A 3.75% wage increase for members on Modern Awards or on an Agreement which mirrors pay rises in the Award.
  • And many more WINS thanks to the hard work of our Organisers and Industrial staff.

Merry Christmas

I wish all members a Merry and safe Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The SDA office will be open during the Christmas Period, except for the public holidays, so members will still have access to advice and assistance in a timely manner.