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The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) is one of Australia’s oldest and largest unions. As a union, we represent retail, warehousing, fast food, pharmacy, hair & beauty, and modelling & mannequin workers.
For over 130 years, we have been at the forefront of protecting and improving your rights at work.
One of the highest minimum wages in the world
Public holidays
Universal superannuation
Health and safety rights
Equal pay for women
Parental leave
Penalty rates
Leave entitlements
The right to bargain and negotiate
Job security
Over 200,000 SDA union members standing together across Australia.
More than $7 million dollars recovered in claims and compensation for SDA members in 2024 alone.
A strong and united voice for retail, fast food & warehousing workers for over 130 years.
| 1900 | Victorian Grocers Employees Association started. |
| 1907 | Shop Assistants Union of Victoria started. |
| 1908 | Shop Assistants Union of Victoria federated with NSW, Queensland and South Australian Shop Assistants Unions to form a national union — the Shop Assistants and Warehouse Employees’ Federation of Australia. It was registered as a union under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. |
| 1911 | Australian Hairdressers, Wigmakers and Hairworkers Employees Federation of Australia formed. |
| 1919 | Victorian Grocers Employees Association and Shop Assistants Union of Victoria amalgamated after the Victorian Trades Hall Council worked to bring them together. The amalgamated union had about 1,900 members, and was based at Trades Hall. |
| 1930s | The union faced major challenges during World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. |
| 1940 | The union purchased its first car for organising in country and outer metropolitan areas. |
| 1940s | During the war years, the retail industry shifted from being male-dominated to employing large numbers of women — a trend that continued post-WWII. |
| 1945 | 44-hour working week introduced (reduced from 46 hours). |
| 1948 | 40-hour working week introduced. |
| 1949 | Two weeks annual leave established. |
| 1951 | The union had 6,306 financial members. |
| 1956 | Adult rate of pay at 21 years of age (previously 23 years). |
| 1960 | The union had 8,051 members (5,797 metropolitan; 2,254 country). Chadstone Shopping Centre — Victoria’s first suburban shopping centre — opened. Mannequins and Models Guild formed. |
| 1962 | Two days compassionate leave introduced for death of wife, husband, father, mother, child, stepchild. |
| 1963 | Three weeks annual leave established. |
| 1971 | Major retail companies agreed (through ACTU and Victorian Trades Hall) to sign employees into the SDA, and membership grew significantly. |
| 1972 | The union changed its name to the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA). Late-night shopping introduced. Five-day working week established (reduced from 5½ days). |
| 1974 | Four weeks annual leave established. |
| 1975 | Equal pay for women achieved. Public holiday penalty increased from double time to double time and a half. |
| 1978 | The union moved into its own premises at 53 Queen Street, Melbourne (jointly owned with the Federated Clerks Union). |
| 1979 | 12 months unpaid maternity leave introduced (previously women had to resign). |
| 1984 | 38-hour working week introduced. |
| 1985 | Adoption leave introduced. Occupational Health and Safety Act provided for elected Health and Safety Representatives. |
| 1986 | Redundancy pay introduced for employees made redundant. |
| 1987 | Compulsory employer superannuation contributions of 3% introduced — paid into REST industry fund with joint union-employer directors. |
| 1991 | The union amalgamated with the Australian Hairdressers, Wigmakers and Hairworkers Employees Federation of Australia and the Mannequins and Models Guild of Australia. |
| 1993 | The union took full ownership of 53 Queen Street, Melbourne. Government legislated universal superannuation (employer-paid, scaled up to 9% by 2000–01). |
| 1994 | Move to enterprise agreements. |
| 1996 | Membership reached approximately 60,000. |
| 2003 | SDA Victoria moved into its own building at 65 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank. |
| 2008 | Australian Workplace Agreements abolished. Additional public holiday legislated when Boxing Day or New Year’s Day fall on weekends. |
| 2009 | Fair Work Act commenced. 18 weeks paid maternity leave introduced. |
| 2010 | Modern Awards commenced (1 January). |
| 2015 | Adult rate of pay extended to 20-year-old employees under the General Retail Industry Award. Easter Sunday declared a public holiday in Victoria. |
| 2018 | Higher penalty rates introduced on weeknights and Saturdays for casual employees under the General Retail Industry Award. “Don’t Bag Retail Staff” campaign launched — a major public campaign advocating for respect toward shop workers after plastic bag bans led to customer abuse. |
| 2019 | SDA Victoria continued its “No One Deserves a Serve” campaign promoting respect and safety for retail staff. |
| 2020 | The union adapted operations during COVID-19, supporting retail and fast-food members as essential workers. Secured enhanced safety standards, paid pandemic leave, and PPE access. Successfully lobbied for casual and part-time retail staff to be included in JobKeeper. |
| 2021 | SDA advocated for improved safety and pay for frontline workers. Helped bring the Wage Theft Act 2020 (Vic) into effect, criminalising intentional underpayment. |
| 2022 | SDA advocacy retained penalty rate entitlements for new Victorian state holidays (AFL Grand Final Friday, Easter Sunday). Secured 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave in National Employment Standards — implemented late 2022. |
| 2024 | Superannuation on paid parental leave achieved after SDA lobbying. Fair Work Act amended to give long-term casuals right to convert to permanent employment. ‘Adult Age = Adult Wage’ campaign launched to end junior rates for over-18s. |
| 2025 | SDA defeated attempts by retailers to weaken penalty rates, securing legal protection for them. Launched ‘Tougher Penalties for Abusive Customers’ campaign to protect retail and fast-food workers from violence and abuse. New legislation passed Victorian Parliament (The Crimes Amendment (Retail, Fast Food, Hospitality and Transport Worker Harm) Act 2025) to crack down on abuse and violence towards workers, thanks to the SDA’s campaign. |
| Today | SDA Victoria represents more than 40,000 members across the state, supported by 20 Organisers and industrial experts who negotiate improved wages, conditions, and handle workplace legal matters. |
The SDA has led the campaign for paid parental leave and workplace health and safety and is always at the forefront of protecting workers from unfair dismissal, termination and redundancy. The SDA will always support campaigns that promote sensible and progressive rights for ordinary Australian workers.
The SDA has led the campaign for paid parental leave and workplace health and safety and is always at the forefront of protecting workers from unfair dismissal, termination and redundancy. The SDA will always support campaigns that promote sensible and progressive rights for ordinary Australian workers.
Join over 200,000 SDA union members