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.
In April, the Labor Government filed a submission to the 2025 Annual Wage Review calling for an above inflation pay rise for workers.
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.
Labor will legislate to protect penalty rates
If Labor is re-elected, penalty rates will be protected in legislation. Penalty rates will be protected for retail, warehouse and fast food workers plus millions more Australian workers.
This is another example of the Labor Government protecting your wages and conditions and follows their Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review submission calling for a real wage increase for Australian workers.
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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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.
Read more about the big business attack on retail rights
Authorised by G. Dwyer, Shop Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association, 53 Queen Street, Melbourne.