What we do

The SDA advocates for the rights of retail, fast food and warehouse workers.

We are one of Australia’s largest unions with over 200,000 members, standing up for a fair go.

The collective strength of the SDA’s membership means better wages and working conditions for you.

Through negotiations, the SDA has won superior conditions for our members including:

Secure rosters
Strong pay rises
Better break entitlements
Improved leave entitlements
The right to a work/life balance
Penalty rates for evenings, weekends and public holidays
Pathways to permanent work for casuals

The SDA also works hard to defend your existing entitlements.

When employer lobby groups call for pay cuts, penalty rate changes or try to take away your rights at work, the SDA stands up.

There are a range of ways the SDA protects and improves your rights at work:

Better pay

The SDA fights for strong pay rises on behalf of members in enterprise agreements and the Annual Wage Review.

Thanks to submissions from the SDA, the base rate for an adult in the General Retail industry Award has gone from $20.08 per hour in 2018 to $25.65 per hour in 2024.

That’s an increase of 27.72%

Fairer treatment

We take legal action against employers who do the wrong thing and make sure you receive all entitlements owed to you.

Last financial year the SDA WA Branch recovered $134,074.10 for members in settlements and underpayments.

Nationally in 2024, the SDA recovered over $7 million in claims and compensation for SDA members.

Safer workplaces

All workers have a right to a safe work environment, and the SDA remains committed to ensuring all employers provide a safe workplace.

The SDA has recently won tougher penalties for customer violence in South Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia, and Queensland.

See our campaigns for better conditions at work.

The SDA has a long history of advocating on behalf of members and making genuine improvements to the working lives of thousands of members across Australia.

No matter is too big or small: we work hard to deliver improvements and campaign for positive change, whether it’s legislation, applications to the Fair Work Commission, or at a shop floor level.

Negotiating pay and conditions

Negotiating with your employer for above Award pay and conditions in Enterprise Agreements which set out your workplace entitlements including pay rises, breaks, leave and penalty rates.

Government legislation, policy or enquiries

If workplace legislation can be changed to address a problem or if the government is looking at making changes that affect you, we’ll make sure your voice is heard.

Pay rises and the Annual Wage Review

Pushing for wages to go up in Enterprise Agreements and in Awards through the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review each year.

Improving modern awards

Ensuring the industry minimum standards in Awards are fair, reasonable and improving in retail, warehousing, fast food, pharmacy, hair & beauty and modelling.

Legal action

We take legal action against employers who do the wrong thing and make sure you receive all entitlements owed to you.

Shop floor representation

Whether it’s an individual problem you’re facing or an issue impacting your whole store, we can help raise and resolve any issues.

SDA campaigns help to make Australian workplaces better, fairer and safer.

No One Deserves A Serve

No One Deserves A Serve: the SDA’s campaign to eliminate abuse & violence from customers towards retail and fast food workers has brought the whole industry together to tackle the issue. The SDA has been fundamental in securing stronger penalties for abusive customers in several states and running nation-wide advertising campaigns calling for respect.

Super on every dollar

Super on every dollar: the SDA’s campaign to have super on every dollar secured superannuation payments for workers on Government paid parental leave. Now, we’re campaigning for workers under 18 to receive super too.

Adult Age = Adult Wage

Adult Age = Adult Wage: the SDA’s campaign to remove junior rates for 18-20 year old retail, fast food and pharmacy workers. If you’re an adult, you should not be paid less for doing the same work as your co-workers over 21. The SDA campaign already won the full adult rate of pay for 20 year olds in the Retail Award in 2014.

Sexual Harassment Not Ok. Not Ever

Sexual Harassment Not Ok. Not Ever: the SDA has been fundamental in highlighting the unacceptable sexual harassment facing members in retail and fast food, especially young workers and women. Our campaign holds employers to account, educates SDA members on the issue, and supports workers who have experienced sexual harassment while at work, all while improving sexual harassment workplace laws.

Better Wages, We’re Worth It

Better Wages, We’re Worth It: each year the SDA and the whole union movement runs a strong case in the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review to lift minimum rates of pay in retail, warehousing, fast food, pharmacy and hair and beauty. Increases to Modern Awards also boost wages in SDA-negotiated Enterprise Agreements.

Protecting Public Holidays

Protecting Public Holidays: the SDA protects your public holidays and campaigns to ensure retail and fast food workers have a right to time off or penalty rates if they choose to work.

Read about our campaigns

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