SDANEWS OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, NEW SOUTH WALES BRANCH I AUTUMN 2016 I RRP $8.00
EVERYONE’S FAMILY COUNTS: PROTECT PENALTY RATES SEE PAGES 12-13
SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, NSW BRANCH
WWW.SDANSW.ORG.AU PHONE 131 SDA STREET ADDRESS: Level 3, 8 Quay Street, Sydney NSW 2000 POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box K230, Haymarket NSW 1240 E-MAIL: secretary@sdansw.asn.au
SDA NEWS EDITOR:
Bernie Smith, Level 3, 8 Quay Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Please address all correspondence to “The Secretary”.
UNION OFFICERS: SECRETARY: Bernie Smith ASSISTANT SECRETARY: Robert Tonkli PRESIDENT: Cheryl Cassell
ORGANISERS LEAD ORGANISER: Angela Ghanime
METROPOLITAN: Lena Adam, Anthony Maiatico, Anthony Attard, Caroline Israel, Chris Stefanovski, Mina Papadopoulos, Tina Callaghan, Joel Tynan, Adriana Moore, Karl San Pedro, Hugh McLaurin, Anthony Day, Joanne Jammal, Whitney Rizk, Alex del Rosario, Jessica Chidiac, Rayanne Li, Alison Varga, Susannah Hoffman, Nikolai Martinovic, Josip Blazevic, Angelo Pardo, Nathan Egan, Thea Noone, Joe Rebbechi, Jessica Robinson.
REGIONAL: Lower South Coast, Southern Highlands & Canberra: Athol Williams phone 6273 2300 Riverina (Wagga/Albury): Struan Timms phone 6921 8820 Western NSW (Orange/Dubbo): Louise Buesnell and Loretta Turner (part-time Organiser) phone 6362 1965 Far North Coast (Ballina/Tweed): Trevor McCosker phone 6686 4192 Wollongong & Illawarra: Vera Cavanagh and Di Dixon (part-time Organiser) phone 4228 3611 Port Macquarie and Tamworth Region: Paul Mitchell phone 6583 8837 Coffs Harbour and Armidale Region: Mariusz Werstak and Bridget Sheridan (casual Organiser) phone 6650 9950 WAREHOUSING AND MANUFACTURING: Joseph Bourke, John Paul Sialafau, Alex Velickovic,
SPECIALISTS INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS: Phil Walker, Bernard Govind, Mitchell Worsley, Aliscia Di Mauro, Rose Ghabache, Monica Rose WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND OHS OFFICERS: Michael Babic, Jane Lui SENIOR OPERATIONS OFFICER: Felicity Smithson OPERATIONS OFFICER: Paul Hangan COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS: Michael Walker, Tim Leong INFORMATION OFFICERS: Corrine Boyle, Elizabeth Cody, David Uzzell, Georgina Psillis, Renee Jaajaa, EDUCATION OFFICER: Philippe LeCompte
The SDA – at work with you Your Union – the SDA – represents a responsible, moderate and effective brand of unionism. This approach, where dedicated Delegates and Officials work closely to build a strong membership, has resulted in Australian retail workers being the best paid retail workers in the world. Australian retail workers are the best paid retail workers in the world because you are amongst the most unionised workers in the world. It pays to belong to the SDA.
A fresh look You may have noticed that we have adopted a new SDA logo. The new logo consists of a circle with three arms, representing the coming together in one union of retail, fast food and pharmaceutical/warehouse workers. In coming together, we protect each other’s work interests, and this is represented by the shield formed in the middle of the circle’s three arms. It is a fresh look, but is underpinned by our continued commitment to the same strong, responsible, moderate and effective brand of unionism that has delivered great results for retail, fast food and pharmaceutical/ warehouse workers throughout NSW and the ACT. We remain committed to deliver: better wages;
help with issues at work; and
safer workplaces.
Delegates deliver A big part of the success of your Union in your workplace is thanks to your workplace Delegates. They are the dedicated volunteers who offer new employees SDA membership; provide information and advice to members; and step in to help members with workplace issues
- basically, they are your SDA friend in the workplace. It is a challenging role but also very rewarding. Delegates make a difference (see page 4). Rob Tonkli and I have been out visiting Delegates across NSW and the ACT, and the quality of Delegates who come to training and meetings is outstanding. Next time you go to work, I encourage you to find your workplace SDA Delegate and thank them for their very important volunteer role. If your workplace or your shift doesn’t have an SDA Delegate, think about who would make a good SDA friend in your workplace. If you’re interested in helping out to be that SDA friend for members, read the article on page 11.
Rising to the challenge Many challenges will be presented in 2016. Already, members in Dick Smith have been going through the very difficult process of the closing down of the business. It is a challenging time, and the SDA is here to help (see page 10). I wish all Dick Smith members the very best for the future. We will ensure you are paid your correct entitlements and, where possible, we will try to assist members to find work in our industries. A special thank you to all the members at the Dick Smith DC – it has been a great honour to work closely with you all over many years to secure the best possible wages and conditions in often difficult circumstances (we just got the last EBA finalised too – thanks Dave). We will be working together to win Boxing Day back for families across NSW (see page 7). Boxing Day trading was not a success, with many members reporting being sent home early because their stores were not busy.
Economic analysis shows there was no lift in sales in December due to the extra day’s trading, and public polling shows there was no significant public demand for Boxing Day trading, but we know from members that there was a real social cost to retail workers and their lost family time. Premier Baird needs to give Boxing Day back to the people. The campaign to protect penalty rates will also be a big part of our work this year. Thanks to everyone who has signed up to the campaign – if you haven’t yet done it, do it today (see pages 12 & 13). Penalty rates are fair compensation for work at unsociable times. The case before the Fair Work Commission continues. If your local MP comes shopping in your store, ask them if they support your right to keep your penalty rates. You have a right to know if they support you or not.
Strong union, strong delegates, strong membership - delivers Together, there is much work to be done this year, from the big campaigns to each individual workplace issue. I commit to you that under our new logo, we will remain focused on a responsible, moderate and effective brand of unionism that puts members’ needs first. Our priorities will be achieving better wages and conditions; help with issues at work and safer workplaces. I want to thank each of you because the simple fact that you personally are a member of the SDA makes all of us stronger. This year, the SDA will be at work with you.
Bernie Smith, Branch Secretary
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 3
SDA Members Making a Diff
by Robert Tonkli, Assistant Secretary
It’s not uncommon to hear the question: why do we need a Union?
before the Fair Work Commission. And despite the best efforts of our Delegates and officials, last year shops in NSW were granted the right to open on Boxing Day.
Perhaps a co-worker has asked, “What does the SDA do for me?”
We will be working hard to win back Boxing Day for members and their families.
Last year, at the request of some Delegates, a Union News was sent out that listed some of the broad achievements of the Union movement. These include penalty rates, unfair dismissal protections, workers compensation, annual leave and sick leave. Sadly, many now take these benefits for granted. But we can’t afford to be complacent.
Backward steps In NSW, the workers’ compensation protections we enjoyed for decades were savagely cut by the State Liberal Government. Currently, our penalty rates are under attack by a range of employers
Moving forward It is not a coincidence that Australian retail workers enjoy some of the highest retail wages in the world. But we can’t take this for granted. The reality is that if workers didn’t join the SDA, your pay, conditions, penalty rates, and leave entitlements would not exist.
By being a member of the SDA, you are making a real difference. By asking a nonmember to join the SDA, you are making your workplace stronger.
Thanking our Delegates But being a member of the SDA is not just about maintaining what we’ve already won. It’s also about making the lives of our members and our workplaces better.
If we want to maintain and grow our working conditions, if we want to build a better future for ourselves at work, the best thing a worker can do is join the SDA.
Most people do not join unions for the big causes, but join them for the support they can provide when things go wrong. For this reason, I want to acknowledge and thank the work being done by our Delegates to make our workplaces better.
The best thing an SDA member can do is invite non-members in our workplaces to join the SDA. By joining the SDA, not only will they be protected if they have a workplace issue, but they will make their workplace stronger.
For many SDA members, their Delegate is the first point of contact with the SDA. It was because of the action of their Delegate that their pay was fixed, their roster disputed or a health and safety problem attended to.
The SDA NSW & ACT Facebook page gives you completely up-to-date information on a whole lot of SDA and Unionrelated stuff! Our page covers campaign updates, SDA family days, meetings, SDA people and much much more. So ‘like’ us today and get us on your newsfeed
PAGE 4 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
The more that join the SDA, the better the chance we will all have of maintaining and growing our wages and conditions.
Difference While success stories like these rarely make the front page, they highlight the importance of having good, effective Delegates in our workplaces.
Coming together under a new logo
Another key role of an SDA Delegate is to let members know about their workplace rights and entitlements. If you don’t know what your rate of pay is, what your rest break or leave entitlements are, then you won’t know if you are receiving all of your entitlements. Many of the underpayment claims that the SDA has resolved started with a Delegate informing a member that their pay was too low or their roster had been breached. By being that point of contact with the SDA Information Centre or with their Organiser, Delegates make their workplaces better. So thank you to all our members and Delegates. By being part of the SDA, you are making a real difference in your workplace.
1908
1972
When the SDA was first formed as a national Union in 1908, we were called the Shop Assistants and Warehouse Employees Federation of Australia. For over 100 years we have been working to ensure that retail, fast food, pharmaceutical and warehouse workers have the best pay and conditions, help with issues at work and safer workplaces. In 1972, the Union changed its name to the Shop, by Bernie Smith, Branch Secretary Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association – the SDA – when we adopted our distinctive SDA letter logo. It has come to represent a responsible, moderate and effective brand of unionism with the best paid retail workers in the world.
New logo Last October, the National Council of the SDA adopted a new logo for the SDA. The new logo of a circle with three arms represents the coming together in one Union of retail, fast food and pharmaceutical/warehouse workers. In coming together, we protect each other’s work interests and this is represented by the shield formed in the middle of the circle’s three arms. I hope you like the new SDA logo. However, ultimately logos do not bring meaning to an organisation – rather we, the members, Delegates and Officials will bring meaning to this new logo. I commit to you that we will work hard together to ensure this new logo continues to represent a responsible, moderate and effective brand of unionism for retail, fast food and pharmaceutical/warehouse workers that delivers: Better wages and conditions; Help with issues at work; and Safer workplaces.
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 5
YOUR EASTER 2016 PUBLIC HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENTS With Easter fast approaching, SDA members should be aware of their public holiday entitlements. The simple rule is this: under most SDA Agreements, employees have an absolute right to refuse to work on a public holiday. The choice is yours. PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN NSW AND THE ACT: DATE
PUBLIC HOLIDAY
Friday, 25 March (Good Friday) Saturday, 26 March (Easter Saturday) Sunday, 27 March (Easter Sunday) Monday, 28 March (Easter Monday)
PENALTY RATES
TRADING ARRANGEMENTS: GOOD FRIDAY
EASTER SUNDAY
IN NSW: Without a restricted trading or tourist exemption, your store must close on
Good Friday. It is an offence to engage staff to work behind closed doors on Good Friday. IN THE ACT: By convention, most shops in the ACT close on Good Friday. IN NSW: Without a restricted trading or tourist exemption, your store must close on Easter
Sunday. It is an offence to engage staff to work behind closed doors on Easter Sunday. IN THE ACT: Due to the hard work of your Union, Easter Sunday is a now a public holiday in the ACT. 2016 is the first time this public holiday will be observed.
CHECK YOUR AGREEMENT: Delegates and members should refer to their Enterprise Agreement. The
SDA has prepared a range of company specific public holiday bulletins that detail entitlements in major companies. One relating to your company should be on your store’s SDA Noticeboard, or you can access it on the SDA website: sdansw.org.au/user. Alternatively, you can scan the code ?here, using your QR-enabled device. CONTACT THE SDA: If you have any questions or concerns, speak
to your Delegate, SDA Organiser, or call the SDA’s Information Centre on 131 SDA (that’s 131 732).
ACT finally gets Easter Sunday
by Athol Williams, Organiser
Workers have welcomed the news that the ACT Government has officially declared Easter Sunday a public holiday.
The bill put forward to declare Easter Sunday a public holiday was unanimously passed by Parliament on 17 November last year. Until now, Easter Sunday in the ACT has not been considered a public holiday, meaning that weekend workers haven’t had the right to refuse to work the day or to be adequately compensated for missing out on spending the occasion with family and friends.
THINGS ABOUT BOXING DAY TRADING...
This change will make a world of difference to weekend workers. For many, this will mean they will finally have the opportunity to spend Easter with their family and friends. No matter what your religious beliefs, Easter is an important time for workers to be able to spend relaxing with friends and family. This new legislation means that workers will now have the right to take time off to celebrate Easter, or to be adequately compensated for working. Workers in industries like retail, health and hospitality have fought hard for this public holiday, and they should be congratulated for their efforts. We’d like to thank the ACT Government for putting the needs of the community first.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON BOXING DAY 2015?
Economic analysis shows that there was no lift in sales in New South Wales with Boxing Day trading.
Public polling shows that shopping was not in people’s top five preferred activities for Boxing Day across New South Wales. There was no strong public demand for shops to open.
Surveys showed there was a real social cost to retail workers and their families, particularly lost family time on Boxing Day due to stores trading.
SDA Survey Q14: Did you feel that you volunteered or freely elected to work on Boxing Day?
No one working in retail in New South Wales needs to be reminded of the Baird State Government’s efforts late last year, pinching the Boxing Day holiday from thousands of workers who had to miss out on family traditions because shops were open. The Government asserted that it had included protections to ensure that work on Boxing Day would be voluntary and no one would be pressured to work.
no
yes
So how did that work out? The Union conducted a poll of our members a few days after Boxing Day to find out how it went in stores. About 1 in 3 members surveyed, who worked on Boxing Day, said that they did not do so freely. Here is just one person’s story: “When I asked for it off I was laughed at and told in my dreams! As there was no one else to replace my shift” – Survey respondent We knew this is what would happen. It’s not about the money. Some shared life moments are more important. The only good thing that can be said about this law is that it automatically expires after two years. We will bring the fight to the Government in 2017 to see that this unjust law is not renewed.
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 7
SDA HITS UNIVERSITY O-WEEKS GET INVOLVED aSign up to the campaign at 100percentpay.com.au f‘Like’ the Facebook page at facebook.com/100percentpay 5Stay tuned to the website, Facebook page and your emails for information on actions you can take part in throughout the year.
University is back! As uni students across the country settled back into another semester of study, the 100% Pay at 18+ team headed to O-Weeks to talk about the need to pay younger workers fairly. SDA National Secretary Gerard Dwyer said that university students are at real risk at the moment, with many 18 and 19 year olds still being paid less than the full adult wage, and the penalty rates of workers under threat. “Unfortunately university students are at risk of being hit twice – once by junior rates of pay and then again by potential cuts to penalty rates,” Mr Dwyer said. Many university students work weekend jobs to help fund their university studies during the week. At the moment, if they’re 18 or 19 they could be getting paid up to 30% less than the full adult rate of pay – even though they’re considered adults everywhere else in society. And to make matters worse, the Federal Government is looking at cutting penalty rates for retail and hospitality workers across the board.
PAGE 8 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
.=.
%
D
n
“It’s a real double whammy and it’s people like university students, who are often amongst those who can least afford it, who will be hit the hardest,� said Mr Dwyer. “That’s why the SDA teams were out in such force at O-Weeks across February and March. We set up stalls at a large number of campuses in every Branch area, signing people up to our campaigns and talking about the importance of fair pay. “It’s critical that university students understand what is at risk. “Both the SDA’s 100% Pay at 18+ and the Protect Penalty Rates campaigns are standing up for the rights of workers, particularly our younger workers. “The bills come in thick and fast at this time of year for university students, with books to cover and course fees to pay on top of the usual rent, car and food bills. “They are adults and they deserve to be paid the full adult rate for the work they do, and they deserve to have their penalty rates protected.�
! " #$
!
" # $ ! %! $
$ & ' ()) ( * *)+ , $ - !./ $ $ $ 0 !./ 1 23 4 5 678 9 : ;! )7( < $
, $
$
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 17
At work with you when it cou ‘Nothing lasts forever’ and businesses are no exception to this. Unfortunately, there are times when, no matter how by Mitchell Worsley, hard people work, Industrial Officer businesses fail. When a business fails, many people feel the impact, including shareholders, suppliers, lenders, managers and – especially – workers. Workers feel the impact of a failed business more than most because not only is there the fear of losing accrued entitlements that are locked up in the business accounts, there is also the uncertainty and fear of losing their only means of income in the future. Fortunately, the law provides some protections for workers in these circumstances.
Administration ‘Insolvency’ is a term that means a business cannot pay its debts when they fall due. When a business becomes insolvent it can be placed into ‘administration’. This can be done voluntarily by the directors or by a court. When a business is in administration, the business is taken over by external administrators. The administrators’ job is to investigate the company and decide what should be done with it. When a business is in administration, all debts owed by the business cannot be paid. This includes employee entitlements such as unpaid wages, superannuation, annual leave, long service leave and personal leave. Essentially, these entitlements are frozen while the administration period is ongoing.
PAGE 10 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
Employees who are owed entitlements are considered creditors of the business. If the business continues to operate during administration, any employee entitlements that are accrued during the administration period will be paid to employees as a priority.
Receivership Sometimes when a business is in financial trouble, a secured creditor (usually a bank) will decide to appoint a receiver. A receiver’s job is to take control of the business’ assets and sell the assets in order to pay the secured creditors. A receiver may decide that the business is worth more if it continues to operate and is sold in its entirety as a going concern.
Sale of a business In most circumstances when a business is sold, it is the up to the new owner of the business to decide whether existing employees will be offered continuing employment. The SDA is active in making sure that when businesses are sold, new employers are engaged and encouraged to offer employment for existing employees. If an employee is not offered ongoing employment, it will be up to the former employer to either offer alternative employment or make a redundancy payment to the employee.
Redeployment and redundancy Employers that sell or close part of their business have obligations to their employees if they are not offered ongoing employment with the new owner. Employers should first make offers to redeploy employees within their business or an associated entity of the business where it is reasonable to do so.
The SDA is active in ensuring that redeployment is made available to employees, especially in large businesses where there are more opportunities for redeployment. Where redeployment is not possible, an employee can have their employment terminated but must be given notice of termination and redundancy pay. The amount of redundancy will depend on the enterprise agreement or award that applies. Awards and enterprise agreements can also provide additional benefits to employees in these circumstances, such as an entitlement to take leave during the notice period to search for a job.
Recovering entitlements Where a business has come to its end, it can be liquidated and assets sold to pay creditors. Sometimes the sale of all the business’ assets will not be enough to cover all the debts owed to creditors. In these circumstances, there is a certain order in which funds are distributed.
ounts
HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES? Delegates play a significant role in the life of the Union at your workplace. Not only do they assist in maintaining a high level of membership but, very importantly, Delegates assist members in getting day-to-day matters and questions sorted out, so they don’t become bigger issues. Delegates help to keep communication channels
by Struan Timms, Organiser
running smoothly between management and Employees are prioritised above most other creditors; however there are still times when employees miss out. Fortunately, the Federal Government has a scheme in place that will cover the majority of employees’ unpaid entitlements. This is called the Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG). Under FEG, eligible employees can claim unpaid wages (up to 13 weeks), unpaid annual leave and long service leave, payment in lieu of notice (up to five weeks) and redundancy pay (up to four weeks per full year of service). The SDA can assist employees with making a claim under FEG.
members, and help to promote a positive working relationship. Delegate training is a key factor in all of this, and we provide training for Delegates throughout the year in most major regional centres. This training covers many aspects of Delegates’ roles including:
understanding your enterprise agreement;
work health and safety;
issue resolution; and
membership recruitment.
Ultimately, our level of membership within a company (and your shop) gives the Union its strength at the bargaining table with your employer when it comes to renegotiating wages and conditions. The stores and companies with the largest Union membership are those with
Your union’s here for you
not only a high number of Delegates, but a high number of trained Delegates.
In many cases, the SDA is aware that an employer is under financial stress before administrators or receivers take over, and we are proactive in securing entitlements for our members. However, should you find yourself in an insecure position in cases where your Union is not involved, or if you are suspicious that this could be happening to your employer, give us a call on 131 SDA (that’s 131 732) to have a chat about your options.
You don't need anything special to be a Delegate – you just need to be sensible and fair with reasonable communication skills. Your age doesn't matter and it doesn’t matter whether you’re casual, part-time or full-time. So if you think that becoming a Delegate might be something you're interested in, get in touch with us. Our new logo says 'at work with you' and this is exactly what our Delegates are!
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 11
Join the campaign to protect penalty rates The Australian weekend is iconic, and Sundays are particularly special. It’s when we take time out to relax, when families come together to go to the beach, and take to sporting fields across the country to either play or cheer on our favourite sports stars. For many SDA members, however, the weekend also often means work.
“Earning less money I would struggle to pay rent, phone, and bills in general. I would struggle to pay my course fees.” Jordana is 18 years old, and works part-time in the retail industry. She moved out of home shortly after finishing high school to study veterinary nursing. She earns penalty rates for the weekend work she does which she uses to pay for essentials, like her course fees. If penalty rates were cut, it would have a big impact on her ability to make ends meet.
It means missing out on activities that the majority of Australians get to enjoy on the weekend. Penalty rates are fair pay for missing out at these times. The pay for missing out on valuable time with family and friends may never make up for that lost time, but it does help ease the pain and make it financially worthwhile. Unfortunately, there are some in our community – some politicians and lobby groups – who want to cut workers’ penalty rates. Right now, our penalty rates are at real risk.
The attack on our penalty rates has been multi-pronged of late, and we’re right in the thick of it. Employer lobby groups are in the Fair Work Commission trying to cut penalty rates in the retail and hospitality industries. The SDA is fighting this, and has put in a detailed submission outlining exactly why it is critical that our penalty rates are protected. The Fair Work Commission also recently called on workers to put in their personal submissions – and thousands of SDA members have taken up the opportunity to share their important stories with the Commission through the protectpenaltyrates.org.au website. The Federal Government’s Productivity Commission has also recommended cutting retail and hospitality workers’ penalty rates, claiming Sunday is no longer special. What would they know, working Monday to Friday and never having to miss a family gathering, kid’s sport or Mothers Day? if penalty rates in our industries are
How can you help Protect Penalty Rates?
slashed, it is only a matter of time before the penalty rates of workers in
1. Sign up to the SDA’s www.protectpenaltyrates.org.au campaign website
other industries are under attack too.
2. Ask your family and friends to sign up too – the more supporters we have, the louder our voice will be.
Sundays are still special
3. Like the Protect Penalty Rates Facebook page at www.facebook.com/protectpenaltyrates/
deserve to be compensated for
4. Stay tuned to the campaign and take part in the latest actions. Together, we can protect our penalty rates.
family and friends.
SDA members, and all workers, missing out on valuable time with If you’re working unsociable hours, you deserve to be paid penalty rates.
Join the campaign at protectpenaltyrates.org.au PAGE 12 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
Save our weekend.
Every family counts Rob Trevillion is in several ways a typical worker in the year 2016. He has had many different jobs in his career, working first as a carpenter, then as a bus driver, then as a paramedic and now also as a shop assistant at Bunnings Tuggeranong. Another way in which Rob is typical is that he works more than one job to make neds meet: weekdays as an ambulance officer and weekends at Bunnings. “I did nursing shifts for a while but the kids said ‘We never see you, Dad’,” he explains. “So I went to Bunnings who have been flexible with rostering, and I have been there for eight years.” Under the proposal floated by some in the Government, Rob would lose penalty rates on his job at Bunnings but not on his job as a paramedic. “I see [talk of removing penalty rates] as valuing one worker more than another. In both cases, we work hard. It’s a different type of work but it’s hard work nevertheless.” For Rob, since he works weekends permanently at Bunnings, penalty rates are more than one third of his wage. “I couldn’t get by without the shifts at Bunnings; that’s what pays my kids’ school fees.” “Penalty rates aren’t a ‘luxury’. People want to suggest that people are going to spend it on drinks or pokies but for most of us it’s school fees or council rates or keeping the lights on or even paying the grocery bill. “I see my colleagues at Bunnings doing it tough. They are on that lower end of the spectrum and they are struggling to pay their mortgages, if they can get into the housing market at all, and to disadvantage them by taking away these penalty rates is just absurd, it’s discriminatory. “I’ve put up with more abuse in retail, more angry customers, more hostility from people who are perfectly sober and perfectly sane than I have in the ambulance service.” Whether you work in emergency services or retail, your family time matters. If you miss out due to work, you deserve penalty rates regardless of what sort of workplace you’re in. Every family counts.
“
I couldn’t get by without the shifts at Bunnings; that’s what pays my kids’ school fees.” SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 17
The Union Advantage One of the many shocking stories that emerged in 2015 was that of mostly Taiwanese backpackers being lured into working at food processing plants in remote locations where they were underpaid and treated terribly. The company that was involved in that scandal is a direct competitor to GSF, a food processing plant in Western Sydney that produces pre-packaged salads.
by Joe Bourke, Warehousing & Manufacturing Organiser
The difference at GSF is that the workers are unionised and enjoy higherthan-Award wages and superior conditions of employment on their SDAnegotiated Enterprise Agreement. Some years back, the Union even negotiated with management to install a ventilation system for the comfort of the employees who work on the onionpeeling line.
This story shows why it is important for the Union to pursue employers where, in some cases, we have no members: If GSFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitors were not reined in, they would enjoy a cost advantage over GSF that could hurt its profits and even threaten its viability. We all have an interest in making sure that no employers are allowed to start a race to the bottom.
PAGE 14 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
PLAN TO STOP EXPLOITATION OF WORKERS In recent times, there have been significant examples of exploitation of workers, especially migrant workers, in some non-unionised sectors of the workforce. 7-Eleven is the most spectacular example of this exploitation. The SDA has set up a special hotline and is working in association with Maurice Blackburn solicitors to obtain backpay for the 7-Eleven workers who have been exploited.
Most importantly, the SDA and Maurice Blackburn have called on the Federal Government to grant an amnesty to overseas workers who may have breached their visa conditions by working longer hours than permitted by their visa. Because they were underpaid, they needed to work long hours in order to make a reasonable amount of money. The Federal Parliamentary Labor Party has promised to take steps if it is elected to Government at the next Federal election to protect workers from exploitation. These steps will include:
Cracking down on the underpayment of workers, with significantly increased penalties for employers who deliberately and systematically avoid paying their employees properly; Ramping up protections for workers from sham contracting, by strengthening legal protections for a worker’s entitlements, along with increasing penalties; Giving the Fair Work Ombudsman more power to pursue employers who liquidate their companies in order to avoid paying the money they owe their workers; Introducing reforms to ensure that temporary overseas workers are not exploited and underpaid, and that there is a level playing field for all workers in Australia.
The ALP will consult employers and their representatives, workers and unions on the scale of the increase to penalties to ensure there is an appropriate deterrent in place to protect workers from unscrupulous employers.
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 15
RECENT PAY RISES Here are some of the most recent pay rises negotiated for members by the SDA. For more detailed information, check the full pay tables, available in the user dashboard on the sda website. Other companies with recent pay rises include Coles Liqour, Priceline, BWS, Masters and Myer.
COLES STORE TEAM MEMBERS RATES. FROM 1 DECEMBER 2015 Age
Permanent Employees
Casual Employees
$ per week 369.45
$ per hour 9.720
$ per hour 12.155
At 16 years old
410.50
10.805
13.505
At 17 years old
492.60
12.965
16.205
At 18 years old
574.70
15.125
18.905
At 19 years old
656.80
17.285
21.605
At 20 years old and above
821.00
21.605
27.005
Less than 16 years old
WOOLWORTHS GRADE 2 RATES. FROM 1 JANUARY 2016 Age
Permanent Employees
Casual Employees
$ per week 372.65
$ per hour 9.81
$ per hour 11.77
At 16 years old
414.05
10.90
13.08
At 17 years old
496.86
13.08
15.69
At 18 years old
579.67
15.25
18.31
At 19 years old
662.48
17.43
20.92
At 20 years old and above
828.10
21.79
26.15
Less than 16 years old
TARGET LEVEL 1 RATES. FROM 1 FEBRUARY 2016 Age
Casual Employees
$ per week 392.95
$ per hour 10.34
$ per hour 12.41
At 17 years old
432.25
11.37
13.65
At 18 years old
530.48
13.96
16.75
At 19 years old
628.72
16.55
19.85
At 20 years old and above
785.90
20.68
24.82
16 years old and under
PAGE 16 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
Permanent Employees
STRONG UNIONS. STRONG DELEGATES. STRONG MEMBERSHIP. GETS RESULTS A few years ago, former SDA National Secretary Joe de Bruyn was giving evidence before the Productivity Commission. Joe told the story that by Bernie Smith, a Commissioner Branch Secretary leant over and said in an accusing tone “The SDA is responsible for Australia having the highest paid retail workers in the world”, to which Joe replied with a smile, “Yes, we are!” And we make no apology for it. The OECD recently tweeted a chart showing Australia as having the highest minimum wages in the world. The UK’s Low Pay Commission, in making its National Minimum Wage recommendation, released its research on international minimum wages and found Australia had the highest minimum wage.
In a recent meeting with the SDA, unionists from the USA involved in campaigns to raise fast food wages in America expressed their appreciation with the success of the SDA in securing amongst the highest fast food wages in the world. Australian retail workers are the best paid in the world because they are amongst the most unionised retail workers in the world. We make no apology for it because Australian retail workers are also amongst the most productive in the world. For the last 25 years in a row, labour productivity in retail (that is the productivity of workers) has increased year on year. It is this combination of a productive workforce that is well unionised that has enabled Australian retail workers to get a fair share of their business’ success. We thank all Delegates and all members for making this possible.
The International Monetary Fund recently released a report that identifies drops in union membership leading to more inequality. Of course, the reverse is true too; increasing union membership leads to a fairer system of pay, better pay and less inequality. The SDA condemns the recent Productivity Commission report that recommends cutting retail workers’ pay by cutting their penalty rates. Rising wages also force employers to think of ways to be more productive. So, returning to the story of the Productivity Commissioner, instead of bemoaning retail wages, they should have joined Joe in celebrating that Australia has the highest paid retail workers because they are productive too. A strong union with strong Delegates and strong membership gets results. If your workmate is not in the SDA, ask them to join today.
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 17
MAKE SURE YOU ENROL TO
With a Federal Election due later this year, now is the time to make sure you’re enrolled to vote so you don’t miss out on exercising your democratic right.
If you are 16 or 17, you can enrol now so that when you turn 18 you'll be able to vote.
At the moment, it’s especially important that you have your
For more information or to enrol, go to http://www.aec.gov.au/enrol/
say, with your rights and working conditions under attack.
WHAT IS ‘CLOSE OF ROLLS’?
To enrol for the first time or get back on the roll, you can enrol
The ‘close of rolls’ is the date the electoral roll closes for the Federal Election. After this date, you cannot enrol or update your details on the electoral roll for the Federal Election.
online at aec.gov.au. You will need to provide evidence of your identity. You can
When the writs are issued for the Federal Election, a date is set for the close of rolls. A writ is a document commanding an have someone who is enrolled confirm your identity. Please electoral officer to hold an election, and contains dates for the note that the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) cannot close of rolls, the close of nominations, the polling day and the accept any other forms of identification, such as 18+ or Proof return of the writ. The Governor of Age cards. It’s especially important General issues the writs for House It is compulsory by law for all that you have your say, of Representatives elections and eligible Australian citizens with your rights and working State Governors issue writs for to enrol and vote in Federal conditions under attack. Senate elections. elections, by-elections and The close of rolls date is 8pm referendums. local Australian time on the seventh calendar day after the You are eligible to enrol if you: writs are issued for the Federal Election. are an Australian citizen, or eligible British subject, You must be enrolled at your current address so you can vote use your driver’s licence, Australian passport number or
“
aged 18 years and over, and
have lived at your address for at least one month.
”
for the candidates in your electorate (also known as electoral division) in the Federal Election.
Super Guarantee Freeze: Less for your ReƟrement Most superannuation experts agree that 9% superannuation contributions is not enough to build an account balance for a comfortable retirement. The challenge has long been to lift the 9% contribution to 12%, but unfortunately Coalition Governments have a track by Gerard Dwyer, record of freezing or delaying increases in National Secretary superannuation contributions. Despite the Keating Government unveiling an increase in super from 9% to 12% of earnings in 1995, John Howard (Prime Minister 1996-2007) successfully stalled any increase in superannuation contributions for more than 11 years. It was left to the Gillard Government to legislate a timetable to achieve the 12% contribution for working Australians. While the then Coalition Opposition committed to maintaining Labor’s Superannuation Guarantee (SG) increases in March 2013, they quickly discarded this promise once they won Government later that year. The table on this page shows how the Coalition Government has delayed the timetable of SG increases not once, but twice, and now the Turnbull Government has floated an indefinite freeze. The Coalition’s changes to date mean that the full 12% will not apply until 1 July 2025, some six years after the Gillard Government timetable. It is estimated that the Coalition Government has already saved some $2.6 billion in the Federal Budget by this delay to increasing the SG but at whose cost? This delay to superannuation increases is a loss for all employees, but particularly so for young employees and middle-aged women. Recent modelling by actuaries Rice Warner shows women are currently retiring with around half the superannuation savings of their male counterparts, and any delay in increases to the SG simply makes it harder for this group to build satisfactory account balances for retirement.
Turnbull’s Ɵmetable? In February 2016, the Turnbull Government, under the guise of generating debate, flagged a possible further delay to increases in superannuation contributions.
It is asserted that this could save the Federal Budget up to $6 billion per year, but again ordinary Australians would be carrying the burden and it would build far bigger age pension costs for future Governments. Freezing superannuation contributions at the existing 9.5% will hurt working Australians and, according to economic modelling by the Super Industry, such a freeze could reduce retirement balances by 20%. This means the average worker could end their working life with a superannuation account balance $75,000 lower than it would be if the current timetable of increases was retained. Industry Super Australian Chief Executive David Whiteley has warned that any delay to increasing superannuation increases would wreck many retirement plans and put pressure on taxpayers in the future. “These proposals would reduce the individual savings of millions of super fund members, reduce national savings and increase [taxpayer funded] pension outlays”, Mr Whiteley said. The debate on Budget repair has to move beyond issues that hurt working Australians. Measures like freezing superannuation contributions or increasing the GST hit ordinary people. The focus should move to genuine reform that shares the tax burden fairly amongst all members of the community.
Delays, delays... and more delays? Gillard Coalition’s Financial Government Initial year Changes beginning 1 July 2013 9.25% 1 July 2014 9.5% 1 July 2015 10% 1 July 2016 10.5% 1 July 2017 11% 9.5% 1 July 2018 11.5% 10.0% 1 July 2019 12% 10.5% 1 July 2020 11.0% 1 July 2021 11.5% 1 July 2022 12.0% 1 July 2023 12.0% 1 July 2024 12.0% 1 July 2025 12.0%
Coalition’s Revised Timetable
9.5% 9.5% 9.5% 9.5% 10.0% 10.5% 11.0% 11.5% 12.0%
Turnbull’s Timetable?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 19
Delegates MeeƟngs 2016 During February and March, SDA Secretary Bernie Smith and Assistant Secretary Robert Tonkli travelled around NSW and the ACT to meet with Delegates and brief them on the Union’s agenda for the year ahead. The largest meeting was in Sydney which was also addressed by SDA National Secretary Gerard Dwyer and the new leader of Unions NSW, Mark Morey. Bernie Smith informed Delegates of campaign plans to win Boxing Day back for families, and to Protect Penalty Rates. Gerard Dwyer gave Delegates an update on the SDA’s claims on 7-Eleven. It is the largest underpayment in Australia’s history, estimated at over $50 million. The Union is helping 7-Eleven workers because allowing a competitor to pay its staff far below the minimum wage damages our members’ companies that pay fair union wages. Mark Morey spoke about inequality and how workers are not seeing their fair share of productivity increases. Meanwhile, many companies are paying less than their fair share of tax, placing even more of the burden of public services onto regular working people. A number of Delegates also spoke, sharing their experiences and tips for organising their workplaces with other Delegates present.
Bernie Smith, SDA NSW & ACT Branch Secretary
Mark Morey, Unions NSW Secretary
Gerard Dwyer, SDA National Secretary
PAGE 20 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
2016 TEAP scholarship winners
Bunnings DC Delegates Marty and Harrison
David Jones Macquarie Delegate Sally
Target Macquarie Delegates Michele and Sue
Bernie Smith, SDA NSW & ACT Branch Secretary
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 21
THINGS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING IN AUSTRALIA
If you’re on a student visa, you are only allowed to work 40 hours per fortnight when your course is in session. During break periods, you may work unlimited hours.
INTERNATIONAL STUD Higher education is Australia’s boom
SHOCKING RESULTS
industry right now, providing the country
Unfortunately, it appears that 7-Eleven is not an exception. Research conducted by Dr Stephen Clibborn at the University of Sydney discovered that working international students being paid less than the legal minimum is rampant. Here are some of his findings:
with welcome income towards our balance of payments. There are a quarter of a million international students living in the country. In the last edition of SDA News, we
You should receive a payslip listing your hours, wages, and any tax paid to the government – even if you get paid in cash.
reported on the work the Union has been
underpayment is rectified.
You are entitled to a minimum wage.
You are entitled to extra money if you work nights, weekends or public holidays.
You must obtain a Tax File Number form the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to be able to work.
Your employer cannot force you onto an individual contract.
2 out of 3 were being paid less than the national minimum wage;
1 out of 3 were being paid $12 an hour or less;
Half received no payslip;
All surveyed Chinese students working in restaurants were being underpaid.
doing to represent 7-Eleven workers and see that the terrible injustice of widespread
Many, if not most, of the workers involved in this scandal were international students. 7-Eleven’s internal wages panel has been working through backpay claims and, in February, two of the people interviewed in the ABC 4 Corners story received their backpaid wages. Both backpays amounted to more than $30,000.
The Union has been reaching out to these students to advise them of their entitlements with information at our O-week stalls and a dedicated website: www.welcometowork.com.au.
You cannot work until you have commenced your course.
Your employer can’t deduct money from your pay for breakages or if your cash register is short, and they can’t pay you in goods or services.
If you earn more than $450 per month, your employer must pay superannuation.
You are allowed to join your union.
The SDA welcomes all people working in our industries as members; eligibility for membership is not affected by a person’s visa or residency status.
PAGE 22 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
Former 7-Eleven employee Bharat Khanna Right) spoke to international students at Sydney Uni O-Week about their workplace rights.
UDENTS: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Do you know someone who is an international student, either a friend, classmate or work colleague? Forward them this link to our website so they can learn more about their rights.
www.welcometowork.com.au SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 23
Who Shou
! S RY R U HLICATIONN APP LOSE O ! C IL R P A 8
CAMP GALLIPOLI 2016 GET INTO THE ANZAC SPIRIT ON YOUR ANZAC DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY
The SDA is proud to be giving away 560 Ć&#x;ckets to aĆŠend 2016â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Camp Gallipoli â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where you can camp under the stars with your family and friends, and join in a special opportunity for us all to learn, to remember, to reĹ&#x2021;ect and to sleep out under the stars as the original ANZACs did over one hundred years ago. There will be entertainment, special guests, movies, documentaries, great food opĆ&#x;ons, and a very special Dawn
There will be a Federal Budget handed down not long after this edition of SDA News reaches mailboxes. The Government by Michael Walker does have a Communications problem in that its Officer revenue has fallen below expectations, largely because of the shrinking mining sector, so it has to take action to meet its costs. Government ministers and their fans in the commentariat have indulged in a lot of selfserving rhetoric about belt-tightening.
W y s o A a T o t
A T d e t I
Service on ANZAC Day itself.
Here are some facts to keep it in perspective.
WHERE: The Entertainment Quarter, Lang Rd,
Where the wealth is
Moore Park, NSW 2021
The first thing to remember is this: We do not live in an era of scarcity.
a t
WHEN: 24-25 April 2016 WHO: Those 15 years of age and under must have their own Ć&#x;cket and be accompanied by a parent/guardian, or be part of a community group under adult supervision. MORE INFO: go to campgallipoli.com.au/faqs/. Ä&#x201A;ĹľĆ&#x2030; 'Ä&#x201A;ĹŻĹŻĹ?Ć&#x2030;ŽůĹ? Ć?ĆľĆ&#x2030;Ć&#x2030;Ĺ˝Ć&#x152;Ć&#x161;Ć? Ć&#x161;Ĺ&#x161;Ä&#x17E; Z^> Ä&#x201A;ĹśÄ&#x161; >Ä&#x17E;Ĺ?Ä&#x201A;Ä?Ç&#x2021; Ĺ?Ĺś Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E;Ä?Ĺ˝Ĺ?ĹśĹ?Ć&#x; ŽŜ ŽĨ Ć&#x161;Ĺ&#x161;Ä&#x17E;Ĺ?Ć&#x152; Ĺ?Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x161; Ć?ĆľĆ&#x2030;Ć&#x2030;Ĺ˝Ć&#x152;Ć&#x161;Í&#x2022; ĹŻÄ&#x17E;Ä&#x201A;Ä&#x161;Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ć?Ĺ&#x161;Ĺ?Ć&#x2030; Ä&#x201A;ĹśÄ&#x161; Ć?Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ç&#x20AC;Ĺ?Ä?Ä&#x17E;Í&#x2022; Ç Ĺ?Ć&#x161;Ĺ&#x161; Ć&#x2030;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x152;Ć&#x161; Ć&#x2030;Ć&#x152;Ĺ˝Ä?Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x161;Ć? ŽĨ Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x201A;Ä?Ĺ&#x161; Ä&#x201A;ĹľĆ&#x2030; 'Ä&#x201A;ĹŻĹŻĹ?Ć&#x2030;ŽůĹ? Ä&#x17E;Ç&#x20AC;Ä&#x17E;ĹśĆ&#x161; Ä?Ä&#x17E;Ĺ?ĹśĹ? Ä&#x161;ŽŜÄ&#x201A;Ć&#x161;Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x161; Ä?Ä&#x201A;Ä?ĹŹ Ć&#x161;Ĺ˝ Ć&#x161;Ĺ&#x161;Ä&#x17E;ĹľÍ&#x2DC;
HOW TO APPLY
There is more wealth in Australia than ever before. The problem is that a small number of people want to keep most of it locked up in the corporate sector. To keep it that way, they not only lobby the Government fiercely (remember the 2010 mining tax furore that ended Kevin Ruddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career), they also challenge the Tax Office by all means possible.
To go into the draw to be part of this great event, simply go to sdansw.org.au and complete the online applicaĆ&#x;on form by Friday 8 April 2016.
In just one example, Rupert Murdochâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s News Corporation ran a successful court case and was excused from paying $900 million in taxes in 2013.
For more informaĆ&#x;on, go to hĆŠps://www. sdansw.org.au/compeĆ&#x;Ć&#x;on/camp-gallipoli or use your QR-enabled device to scan this code:
Some of the biggest global tech companies, including Google, Apple and Microsoft, seem to avoid paying their fair share.
Apple holds $181 billion in cash offshore. If it was taken back into the United States, it would incur tax liability.
T e s t S t A j w T w b a
T G t G b
ould we be Taxing? s
We have also been learning in recent years that these companies legally structure themselves to pay minimal taxes on huge earnings made in Australia. Apple earned $27 billion in Australia and only paid $193 million in tax. The remainder has flowed out of the country. The Liberal National Party squibbed an opportunity to act on this, early in their term of Government.
A relaƟvely easy fix The best thing the Government could do is beef up the resources it puts into recovering tax from corporations. This is exactly what the Labor Party did when they were last in office. Instead, Tony Abbott scaled down the resources used on tax recovery. Soon after that he started to complain about the Government’s revenue problem. This is a deep-running problem with our economic model. Governments need sufficient revenue from taxes to provide the services we expect. So when you hear the Treasurer start talking about the need for everyday Australians to get by with even less, just remember who he won’t be talking about: Those big companies who are sitting on billions of dollars of assets.
No to any GST increases! m
The suggestion was recently floated that GST be increased to 15% to increase Government revenue, but this idea was
abandoned by the Government as it was electorally unpopular – and rightly so!
Is your super as active as it could be?
The SDA strongly opposes any increase to the GST. We opposed the initial introduction of the GST and we will continue to oppose any increase because GST places a disproportionate burden of tax on people who can least afford to pay it. A further reason not to hit low-income earners with tax increases is that it decreases the money they have available to spend in the economy which ends up hurting everyone.
The way forward The GST is a very lazy way of increasing revenue – hitting householders over and over again is not the answer. The real money is in the multi-national corporations who must pay their fair share of taxation, if we are to take advantage of all that a civilised society offers – such as health, education, roads and other infrastructure – funded by taxpayers. Until that is attended to by Goverment, there will be no solutions.
At REST you get low fees and thanks to our active management approach, competitive long term performance. Find out how REST can keep your super active.
rest.com.au/active 1800 737 878
Product issued by Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd. Call us on 1300 300 778 or visit rest.com.au for a REST PDS to consider if it is right for you. Awards and ratings are only one factor to consider when deciding how RES5240 to invest your super.
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 25
HELPING TO FIND A TREATMENT The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) would like to say a huge thanks to the dedicated support from the SDA over the past 18 years in hosting fundraising events at Branches across the country and raising a whopping $331,362 for life-changing research into better diagnosis, treatment and prevention of breast cancer. At a ceremony held on 18 November, the NBCF acknowledged this support by awarding the SDA with the Commitment to the Cause Award. This Award recognises organisations which actively promote and raise awareness of breast cancer research within the workplace. A WIDE RANGE OF EFFORTS Support from the SDA National Office has ramped up in the past few years, with each Branch playing their own part around the country – from purchasing pink ribbon pins, to hosting golf days, bake sales and trivia nights. Since 1998, fundraising has been steadily increasing, along with participation at events and has resulted in the Branches collectively raising a record $40,637 in 2012, just edging out last year’s impressive effort of $37,134. It’s committed fundraising like this that makes a real difference in seeking answers about breast cancer. RELIANT ON EVERYONE’S HELP NBCF relies 100% on community support to raise funds that support the very best breast cancer research, and since 1994 has awarded more than $127 million to over 430 research projects across every State and Territory, thanks to the ongoing generosity of Australians. This has enabled NBCF to fund researchers who have helped develop better therapies, provided greater understanding of possible ways to stop the spread of breast cancer to other areas of the body, and improved the quality of life for patients and their families. However, breast cancer is a complex disease and there is more to do, particularly in the area of effective treatments. CONTINUING THE WORK Breast surgery remains the primary treatment for many breast cancers and it’s vitally important to accurately remove the entire tumour while trying not to remove normal tissue, so as to preserve the appearance of the breast.
PAGE 26 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
Jackie Coles, Acting CEO NBCF, with Katie Biddlestone, SDA National Women’s Officer, and Bernie Smith, SDA NSW Branch Secretary. Current tools are quite limited in their ability to detect microscopic bits of tumour during surgery and more than a quarter of cases need further surgery to get the small traces of tumour that were missed. This is traumatic for patients and places a significant economic burden on healthcare systems. To reduce the unacceptably high number of additional surgeries, NBCF is funding research into new operating table techniques. Tumour tissue is usually stiffer than surrounding healthy tissue, so in this project, Dr Brendan Kennedy from the University of Western Australia is developing ‘micro-palpation’ technology that will provide microscopic images showing how hard or soft the tissue is during surgery. The aim is to dramatically improve the accuracy of breast surgery, reduce the risk of cancer growing again and ensure better outcomes for patients. The impact of supporting research like this is clear to see; over the past 20 years the five-year survival rate for women with breast cancer has increased from 76% to more than 89% - a very good result that NBCF believes is thanks in large part to advances and breakthroughs in the lab. The researchers funded by NBCF are passionate about finding the answers that will lead to a time when there will be zero deaths from breast cancer, and they are able to make a life-changing difference thanks to the support and dedication of fundraisers around Australia.
First Aid in the Workplace Providing immediate and effective first aid to workers who have been injured or become by Jane Lui, ill at the workplace OHS Officer may reduce the severity of injury or illness and promote recovery.
First aid equipment, facilities and first aiders must be accessible to workers whenever they work, including those working night shifts or overtime.
ď ľ
First aid kits
Everyone should understand
All workers must be able to access a first aid kit. This requires at least one first aid kit to be provided at the workplace.
In some cases, it could mean the difference between life and death.
First aid kits should be kept in a prominent, accessible location and must be able to be retrieved promptly.
First aid procedures should be developed and implemented by the business to ensure that all workers, contractors and visitors have a clear understanding of the procedures in the workplace.
First aid requirements vary from one workplace to the next depending on the nature of work, types of hazards, workplace size and location as well as the number of people at the workplace.
Emergency floor plans displayed in the workplace should include the locations of the first aid kits.
Low-risk versus high-risk
The business must consult with workers when making decisions about what facilities are needed, including those required for administering first aid.
A low-risk workplace is a workplace where workers are not exposed to hazards that could result in serious injury or illness.
Consultation should include:
A high risk workplace is a workplace where workers are exposed to hazards that could result in serious injury or illness and would require first aid.
ď ľ
ď ľ
ď ľ ď ľ
the number of locations and contents of the first aid kits and other equipment; the type of first aid and facilities that may be needed; first aid procedures; the number of first aiders.
More than one place? A workplace may require first aid to be available in more than one location if: ď ľ
ď ľ
ď ľ
ď ľ
work being carried out is a long distance from emergency services; a small number of workers are dispersed over a wide area; access to the workplace is difficult; and/or the workplace has more than one level.
Is a first aid room required in the workplace?
ď ľ
low-risk workplace: one first aider for every 50 workers; or high-risk workplace: one first aider for every 25 workers.
This information and instruction should be provided as part of the workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; induction training and when there are any changes, for example, the location of first aiders or contact details. The infomation and instruction on first aid should include: ď ľ
the location of first aid equipment and facilities;
ď ľ
the names and locations of persons trained to administer first aid; and
ď ľ
the procedures to be followed when first aid is required.
Remember â&#x20AC;&#x201C; first aid in the workplace is important and should be taken seriously.
Safety FIRST
A first aid room is recommended for ď ľ
ď ľ
low-risk workplaces with 200 workers or more; or high-risk workplaces with 100 workers or more.
First Aid in the workplace YOUR EMPLOYERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DUTIES: WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? Employers need to have processes in place to enable access WR LPPHGLDWH Č´UVW DLG WUHDWPHQW DQG DVVLVWDQFH ZKHQ necessary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ssistance may involve trained First Aiders, a First Aid URRP )LUVW $LG VLJQDJH DQG VSHFLDOLVW )LUVW $LG HTXLSPHQW VXFK DV D GHČ´EULOODWRU 7KH QHHG IRU HDFK RI WKHVH ZLOO EH GHWHUPLQHG E\ D ULVN DVVHVVPHQW
)LUVW $LG .LWV VKRXOG EH VSHFLČ´F WR WKH ULVNV DQG QHHGV RI WKH ZRUNSODFH )RU H[DPSOH LI \RXU ZRUNHUV DUH DW ULVN RI UHFHLYLQJ EXUQV \RX VKRXOG LQFOXGH WKH IROORZLQJ LWHPV + EXUQ WUHDWPHQW LQVWUXFWLRQV RQ WZR ZDWHU SURRI LQVWUXFWLRQ FDUGV RQH IRU WKH Č´UVW DLG NLW DQG WKH RWKHU WR EH ORFDWHG RQ WKH ZDOO QH[W WR WKH HPHUJHQF\ VKRZHU RU ZDWHU VXSSO\
How many first aiders? The number of trained first aiders recommended for workplaces is as follows:
+ hydro gel dressings + clean polythene sheets (small, medium and large) + FP FRWWRQ FRQIRUPLQJ EDQGDJH For further information on this and contents of kits generally, please refer to the First Aid Code of Practice 2015, especially page 20 and 21) Write to: Phone: Fax: E-mail: Visit:
FIRST-AID KITS (YHU\ ZRUNHU PXVW KDYH DFFHVV WR )LUVW $LG HTXLSPHQW .LWV VKRXOG EH ORFDWHG FORVH WR DUHDV ZKHUH WKHUH LV D KLJKHU ULVN RI LQMXU\ RU LOOQHVV $OO ZRUNHUV PXVW EH PDGH DZDUH RI HDFK )LUVW $LG NLW ORFDWLRQV DQG SURFHGXUHV
CONTENTS $ )LUVW $LG NLW VKRXOG SURYLGH EDVLF HTXLSPHQW IRU DGPLQLVWHULQJ WKH DSSURSULDWH OHYHO RI )LUVW $LG GHWHUPLQHG E\ D ULVN DVVHVVPHQW RI WKH ZRUNSODFH 7KH First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice recommends a OLVW RI LWHPV Î&#x2013;W DOVR OLVWV DGGLWLRQDO VSHFLDOLVW LWHPV WKDW PD\ EH UHTXLUHG
FIRST-AIDERS 7KHUH PXVW EH DQ DSSURSULDWH QXPEHU RI WUDLQHG )LUVW $LGHUV 7KH QXPEHU LV GHWHUPLQHG E\ D ULVN DVVHVVPHQW 7KH First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice recommends one First $LGHU IRU HYHU\ ZRUNHUV LQ ORZ ULVN ZRUNSODFHV DQG RQH IRU HYHU\ ZRUNHUV LQ KLJK ULVN ZRUNSODFHV Î&#x2013;I \RX DUH D WUDLQHG )LUVW $LGHU \RX KDYH WKH VDPH KHDOWK DQG VDIHW\ GXWLHV DV DOO RWKHU ZRUNHUV LQ D ZRUNSODFH ZKLFK DUH WR + WDNH UHDVRQDEOH FDUH IRU \RXU RZQ KHDOWK DQG VDIHW\
DID YOU KNOW?
+ hydro gel (8 Ă&#x2014; 3.5 gram sachets)
If you have a first aid room in operation, you must have a trained occupational first aider.
factsheet 04
HEALTH & SAFETY
+ WDNH UHDVRQDEOH FDUH QRW WR DGYHUVHO\ DÎ?HFW WKH KHDOWK DQG VDIHW\ RI RWKHUV + FRPSO\ ZLWK DQ\ UHDVRQDEOH LQVWUXFWLRQV JLYHQ E\ WKH employer, and + FR RSHUDWH ZLWK DQ\ UHDVRQDEOH SROLF\ RU SURFHGXUH UHODWLQJ WR KHDOWK DQG VDIHW\
FIRST-AID ROOMS 7KH QHHG IRU D )LUVW $LG URRP ZLOO DOVR EH EDVHG RQ D ULVN DVVHVVPHQW Î&#x2013;WV FRQWHQWV ZLOO EH GHWHUPLQHG E\ WKH KD]DUGV LGHQWLČ´HG LQ WKH ZRUNSODFH +RZHYHU WKH\ VKRXOG LQFOXGH + D )LUVW $LG NLW + hygienic hand cleanser + GLVSRVDEOH SDSHU WRZHOV + a telephone and/or emergency call system, and + WKH QDPHV DQG FRQWDFWV RI HPHUJHQF\ RUJDQLVDWLRQV
PO Box K230, Haymarket NSW 1240 131 SDA (thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 131 732) (02) 9281 7050 secretary@sdansw.asn.au www.sdansw.org.au
Authorised by Bernie Smith, Branch Secretary, Shop, Distributive and Allied Employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association, NSW Branch, Level 3, 8 Quay Street, Sydney NSW 2000. SDA 50776
This handy first aid factsheet is available from the SDA. Call the SDA Infomation Centre on 131 SDA (thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 131 732) to request your copy.
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 27
Members splash out at...
SDA WET‘N’WILD SYDNEY FAMILY DAY on Sunday 28 February 2016
Prize winner Juliet Wilson from Big W Dapto with Danny Ebejer from REST and Branch Secretary Bernie Smith.
PAGE 28 I AUTUMN 2016 I SDA NEWS
Prize winner Nicole Mann from Woolworths Kippax/Holt with Assistant Secretary Robert Tonkli and Branch Secretary Bernie Smith.
Prize winner Susan Melbourne from Woolworths Wentworthville with Branch Secretary Bernie Smith.
Prize winner Sanjay Chand from The Good Guys Blacktown with Assistant Secretary Robert Tonkli and Branch Secretary Bernie Smith.
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 29
The Sydney Tower Eye
Madame Tussauds
Sydney Aquarium, Darling Harbour
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount on single adult and child entry tickets upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount on single adult and child entry tickets upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount on single adult and child entry tickets upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount on single adult and child entry tickets upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
t (02) 9333 9222 a sydneytowereye.com.au
t (02) 9333 9240 a madametussauds.com/sydney
t (02) 8251 7800 a sydneyaquarium.com.au
t (02) 8251 7877 a manlysealifesanctuary.com.au
WILD LIFE Sydney
Australian National Maritime Museum
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Gold Coast
Featherdale Wildlife Park, Doonside
Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount on single adult and child entry tickets upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 25% discount upon presentation of their current SDA membership card.
t (02) 9333 9288 a wild-life.com.au
t (02) 9298 3777 a anmm.gov.au
t (07) 5534 1266 a cws.org.au
t (02) 9622 1644 a featherdale.com.au
Gold Coast Attractions SDA members and their families are entitled to a 15% discount at these leading Gold Coast attractions:
Movieworld*
Seaworld*
Wet’n’Wild Dreamworld White Water Skypoint Water World* t (07) 5588 1111 World t (07) 5582 2700 t 133 FUN t 133 FUN (07) 5588 1111 t (133 386) (133 386) a dreamworld. a whitewaterworld. a skypoint. t 133 FUN myfun.com.au a myfun.com.au com.au com.au com.au a a myfun.com.au *Please note: you must pre-purchase your tickets through the SDA website to access the discounts on these attractions.
Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures
ABC Driving School
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 20% discount on single adult and child entry tickets upon presentation of their current SDA membership card. 1300 362 881. www.illawarrafly.com
SDA members and their children receive $25 off the standard cost of five lessons with ABC Driving School. For more information, go to abcdrivingschool.com.au or see the White Pages for your nearest branch.
t
a
Europcar Rentals
Coffs Coast Driving School
SDA members receive exclusive rates when they rent with Europcar. Simply quote 47699503 when making your booking. No PIN or Velocity number is required. For more information, phone Europcar on 1300 131 390 or go to europcar.com.au.
Get five one-hour lessons for just $275 – that’s a saving of $5 per lesson. We service Coffs Harbour and surrounding areas. Phone (02) 6651 2971 for more information.
PAGE 30 l AUTUMN 2016 l SDA NEWS
COFFS COAST
DRIVING SCHOOL
Offer valid to 31 December 2016
TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS... + order online at www.sdansw.org.au, + phone the SDA on 131 SDA (131 732) with your credit card details, or + purchase them in person at the SDA Sydney Office between 8.30am
t n u o c Dis ie Tix v o M
and 4.00pm Monday to Saturday (except on public holidays).
HOYTS/EVENT E-TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE! SDA Movie Tickets for Hoyts and Event cinemas are now available as e-tickets, which you can print at home or redeem on a smartphone.
SDA NSW BRANCH + 131 SDA (131 732) + WWW.SDANSW.ORG.AU
www.engagingmembers.com.au
At ME, we’re working hard to stay agile, reinvent and give Australians more relevant ways to get ahead financially. Part of that is Members Get More, a program full of extras from ME, for Union members.
SDA members get more.
More on home loans – save more with our already low rates.
More on everyday accounts – enjoy bonus offers to make your money go further.
what are you waiting for? Visit mebank.com.au/benefitssda
More on our credit card – save with our competitive low rate.
members get more
Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply. Applications for credit are subject to approval. This is general information only and you should consider if these products are right for you. Members Equity Bank Ltd ABN 56 070 887 679 Australian Credit Licence 229500. 21ȋȅȅȋ/ȅȇȆȌ
SDA NEWS I AUTUMN 2016 I PAGE 31
Penalty Rates for Easter www.protectpenaltyrates.org.au
16010