Don’t risk your rights at work this Federal Election

Under the current Labor Government, unions and union members have won huge improvements to their pay, conditions and workplace rights.

Significant changes the SDA has long campaigned for have become law including super on paid parental leave, paid family and domestic leave and stronger rights for union shop stewards and delegates.

Wages have started to trend upwards again, bargaining is expanding and delivering new and improved agreements and new rights are helping provide better, safer and fairer workplaces for everyone.

SDA members should be proud of what we’ve achieved but also consider that it could be at risk this Federal Election.

Being an SDA union member means you understand how important your workplace rights are not just when you’re at work but for your life outside of work too.

Your rights at work and your pay and entitlements should always be protected and they should keep improving.

What union members have won in the last two years under the current Labor Government:

FAIR AND DECENT PAY RISES

Under the current government wages have started to trend upwards for the first time in a decade. The government have supported pay rises for workers including by making submissions to the Fair Work Commission.

NEW RIGHTS SO WE CAN WIN BETTER PAY

• Multi-employer bargaining
• Stopped employers cancelling agreements during bargaining
• Fair Work Commission given the power to arbitrate agreements if employers delay or frustrate negotiations
• Workers cannot be worse off if Fair Work arbitrates an agreement
• Abolished low pay sub-standard (‘Zombie’) agreements

NEW LAWS TO ENSURE EVERYONE GETS RESPECT AT WORK

• Stronger rights for parents and carers for flexible work
• Super paid on parental leave
• Stronger laws to stop sexual harassment& discrimination
• Two weeks extra paid parental leave
• Better equal pay laws

GREATER JOB SECURITY FOR ALL WORKERS

• More rights for casuals and a stronger path to permanent work
• Same job, same pay for labour hire workers
• New rights for contractors that prevent employers insisting on ABNs
• Limits to fixed-term contracts
• World-first rights for gig workers

NEW LAWS TO STOP WAGE THEFT

• Made wage theft a crime
• Increased fines for wage theft x 5
• Banned pay secrecy clauses
• Made superannuation a workplace right
• Made it illegal to advertise jobs below the award wage
• Made it easier and quicker to recover unpaid wages and super

NEW RIGHTS FOR ALL WORKERS

• 10 days paid family & domestic violence leave for everyone, even casuals
• The right to disconnect
• A stronger & fairer workplace umpire – the Fair Work Commission

STRONGER WORKHEALTH & SAFETY LAWS

• Criminal charges for employers responsible for workplace deaths
• Improved access to workplaces for unions to deal with work health & safety
• Banned engineered stone that is killing tradies

NEW RIGHTS FOR SHOP STEWARDS & DELEGATES

• Strong new rights for workplace Shop Stewards and Delegates including paid training leave

Could it all be lost at the Federal Election?
Peter Dutton and the Liberal National Party have not guaranteed that these new
rights and improved legislation won’t be repealed if they win at this election.

In fact, the Liberal Party have already supported getting rid of the right to disconnect laws – there’s nothing to stop them making further cuts or abolishing other important workplace entitlements.

The Liberal Party has not supported pay rises each year for retail, warehouse and fast-food workers and they have not made submissions in support of wage increases to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review.

It’s essential for all SDA members to make an informed decision before voting in the Federal Election.

There is so much at risk and SDA members cannot afford to go backwards and have their workplace rights stripped away.

These are workplace rights that make a difference to your pay and your working conditions.

Don’t risk your wages. Don’t risk your pay rises. Don’t risk your rights at work this Federal Election.

Wage growth must continue to be a priority

For the first time in a decade, wages are trending upwards under the current Labor Government.

It is crucial for this trend to continue as cost-of-living pressures are still putting SDA members under financial strain.

The Labor Government have consistently called out the need for fair pay rises for working people in Australia.

They have also taken action by making their own submissions to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review arguing for wage increases.

This is a stark difference to the previous government and the current opposition led by Peter Dutton who remain silent on decent wage increases for retail, warehouse and fast-food workers.

The Labor Government have also opposed the Australian Retailers Association attack on retail workplace rights that includes penalty rates and breaks.

With wages finally starting to move again – it’s too big of a risk to go backwards now – don’t put your pay rises at risk when you vote.