SDA News 2017 Summer by SDA NSW

SDANEWS OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, NEW SOUTH WALES BRANCH  SUMMER 2017 RRP $10.00

2018

calendar

IED LIED ALL BUTIVE AND SHOP, DISTRI N, ’ ASSOCIATIO EMPLOYEES NSW BRANCH op, h,

YOUR SDA 2018 IS CALENDAR CARD IS TH IN ED INSERT ISSUE!

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: Anthony Maiatico, Anthony Attard, Caroline Israel, Chris Stefanovski, Mina Papadopoulos, Tina Callaghan, Joel Tynan, Karl San Pedro, Anthony Day, Whitney Rizk, Alex del Rosario, Rayanne Li, Alison Varga, Josip Blazevic, Nathan Egan, Joe Rebbechi, Jessica Rebbechi, Ben Uphill.

REGIONAL: Lower South Coast, Southern Highlands & Canberra: Athol Williams, Narelle Atkins and Hugh McLaurin  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 Coffs Harbour and Armidale Region: Mariusz Werstak and Bridget Sheridan  phone 6650 9950 WAREHOUSING AND MANUFACTURING: Joseph Bourke, John Paul Sialafau, Alex Velickovic

SPECIALISTS INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS: 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: Phil Walker COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS: Michael Walker, Peter Frawley, Paul Farrugia INFORMATION OFFICERS: Corrine Boyle, David Uzzell, Georgina Psillis, Renee Jaajaa, Nadia Olic, Nazih Azar, Jessica Chidiac EDUCATION OFFICER: Philippe LeCompte

It’s beginning t What does a retail worker’s Christmas wish list look like? I think most members would still include these things on their list: Penalty rates, including on public holidays; Two days off on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day; and  Customers to keep their cool. It’s been a very busy and tough year dealing with penalty rates, bargaining, trading hours and your right to a respectful workplace. Together, SDA members, Delegates and Officials have worked hard and relentlessly every day to bring respect and dignity to our members at work.

Making a diﬀerence This year, by working together, we have:  Recruited thousands of new members into the SDA;  Collected thousands of petitions on trading hours and penalty rates;  Answered tens of thousands of members’ questions;  Won hundreds of thousands of dollars for members in unfair dismissal settlements, or their jobs back;  Secured hundreds of thousands of dollars for members in additional redundancy payments;  Reclaimed millions of dollars in underpayment of wages; and  Conducted thousands of safety chats. Outside of work, we have helped members by:  Paying out thousands of dollars in payments for journey claim insurance;  Supporting students with scholarships and textbook vouchers;  Making members’ money go further with hundreds of thousands of dollars in discounts; and  Celebrating together at SDA Picnic Day and SDA Family Days. We have also helped others with your charity fundraising for:  The Children’s Hospital at Westmead;  St Vincent de Paul’s work with the homeless; and  The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Figh ng for change Twelve years ago — in December 2005 — the Howard Government passed their anti-worker legislation, WorkChoices, through the Senate. It was a dark day, and the future of bargaining in our industry was uncertain, with penalty rates under attack. Yet just two years later — in November 2007 — the Howard Government was kicked from office for attacking low-paid workers with WorkChoices. What a difference two years and our combined hard work can make.

g to look a lot like Christmas We started this year with the challenges of penalty rate cuts; the difficulty of enterprise bargaining; attacks on trading hours; and an epidemic of customer abuse. But just like 2005, do not underestimate what a difference two years can make.

Penalty rates The Fair Work Commission got it so wrong on penalty rates. What a bad decision. It’s bad for workers, it’s bad for the economy and, ironically, it will be bad for the businesses that demanded the cuts. By cutting penalty rates without increasing base pay rates, all they did was give low-paid workers a pay cut. Most members covered by enterprise agreements have not had any change to penalty rates, but this decision puts all workers’ take-home pay at risk. Our appeal against the decision was lost a few weeks ago. When a decision that is that unfair is not overturned, there is something wrong with the rules, and it’s time to change the rules. We will be pushing for legislation to overturn the penalty rate cuts to go back before Parliament so that the penalty rates of retail workers can be restored.

Bargaining Negotiations with many retailers stalled last year due to the ongoing penalty rates case. Now that the penalty rates case is resolved, we are ending this year with retailers returning to the bargaining table. A new proposed Coles Agreement is the result of the hard work and workplace leadership of hundreds of SDA Delegates across Australia. The SDA has secured an in-principle new Agreement for Coles members that delivers on members’ four key priorities:  Protects take-home pay;  Improves penalty rates;  Secures most hard-won SDA union conditions; and  Ensures pay rises for all members throughout the life of the Agreement I would like to thank all SDA Coles Delegates for their hard work and strong workplace leadership in securing a proposed new Coles Agreement.

I have also recently completed State-wide Woolworths Delegates meetings, where motions demanding that the company returns to bargaining and endorses our bargaining priorities were overwhelmingly endorsed. Bargaining is underway with many more retailers and fast food companies, with new Agreements already reached with IKEA, Costco, Priceline, Harris Scarfe and Debenhams. Next year will be a year of new Agreementmaking across the retail and fast food industries.

Trading Hours – Boxing Day It was disgraceful that the Berejiklian Government pushed through their anti-family laws to allow ongoing Boxing Day trading. You work so hard in the lead up to Christmas Day that you deserve, and need, two days off to properly celebrate with family and friends – both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Most retailers surveyed by an independent review did not support Boxing Day trading. There was no extra growth in December sales, but one in five retail workers were coerced into working on Boxing Day and did not freely elect to work. The fight for Boxing Day is not over. Luke Foley, ALP Leader, has promised to return Boxing Day to you and your families, and close the shops again when elected to Government in just two years’ time. Until then, just say NO to work on Boxing Day. Your employers and the Government are on notice — your employer faces a fine of up to $11,000 per employee for any person in retail who works on Boxing Day if they did not volunteer — and we expect every breach to be prosecuted.

Customer Abuse Customer abuse is a growing problem in our industry and it is not acceptable. Abuse is not part of the job. We have made some progress in raising members’ awareness that they don’t have to accept this sort of behaviour. Some employers now recognise this is a serious OHS issue, and the SDA has approached SafeWork NSW and icare NSW to be involved in an industry-wide plan to eliminate or reduce customer abuse in retail and fast food. The SDA NSW Branch Council has authorised a public awareness campaign on this important issue in the lead up to Christmas this year. The campaign will be online, on the radio, on billboards and bus shelters and — in the week leading up to Christmas — it will be on TV too! The campaign will ask customers to check their behaviour in shops because “No one deserves a serve” and we will be encouraging them to “Check their attitude before you checkout”. Keep an eye out for the campaign.

Happy Christmas as we look forward to 2018 I would like to thank all SDA members, workplace Delegates and Officials for your strong support this year. We finish this year a bigger and stronger Union than at the start of this year as we engage in bargaining across our industry. I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and an even happier Boxing Day. If you are travelling over Christmas or the New Year, may it be a happy and safe time. I look forward to serving you in 2018.

Bernie Smith, Branch Secretary

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 3

YOUR CHRISTMAS 2017 PUBLIC HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENTS With Christmas 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

Monday, 25 December (Christmas Day) Tuesday, 26 December (Boxing Day) Monday, 1 January (New Year’s Day) Friday, 26 January (Australia Day) TRADING ARRANGEMENTS: XMAS DAY

PENALTY RATES

IN NSW: By convention, most shops in New South Wales close on Christmas Day. IN THE ACT: By convention, most shops in the ACT close on Christmas Day. IN NSW: In NSW, shops can open for trade on the condition that staff have freely elected

BOXING DAY

to work. All employees in NSW have an absolute right to refuse to work on Boxing Day. IN THE ACT: Under most SDA Agreements, members have the right to refuse to work on Boxing Day in the ACT.

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).

e eir over

Your Public Holidays Christmas is fast approaching! And the SDA is already receiving lots of queries from members about their public holiday entitlements over this Christmas/New by Robert Tonkli Assistant Secretary Year period. You’ll find information about the holidays falling over Christmas, New Year and Australia Day on the opposite page. The SDA also publishes 018 018 /20 2017/2 a number of company 2017/2018 specific information leaflets at Christmas and Easter. These are 018 /2 7 1 0 2 available from your store 2017/2018 Delegate, SDA Organiser, SDA Information Office and can also be downloaded from the SDA’s website. SHOPS GENERAL SHO

MYER TEAM MEMBER

TEAM MEM

BERS

lidayys s Public Ho ng Hoouurrs & Tradi CTT AC IN THE

e eir over that od. iday period, ganiser DA member, . rive safely

ve and Shop, Distributi 2000. NSW ay St, Sydney

Public Holidays are important

yyss aays day Public Holid ur ours Hours H ingg Ho & Tradin SPublic Holidays ALES WALE W H WA TH UTH IN NEW SOUT & Trading Hours IN NEW SOUTH WALE S

KMART

In NSW, shops can open for trade on the condition that staff have freely elected to work. This means that all employees in NSW have an absolute right to refuse to work on Boxing Day, regardless of whether they are covered by a Collective Agreement or an Award. If an employee is forced to work on Boxing Day, fines of up to $11,000 per employee can apply to their employer. If you are forced to work on Boxing Day, contact the SDA immediately for help and advice.

WOOLWORTHS SUPERM ARKETS EMPLOYEES

Public Holidays & Trading Hours IN THE ACT

Christmas Day, Monday 25 December Christmas Day is a public holiday in NSW and the ACT. By convention, most shops (including shops located in the ACT) close on Christmas Day. In New South Wales, general shops cannot open for trade on Christmas Day without a restricted trading exemption. Boxing Day, Tuesday 26 December Boxing Day is a public holiday in NSW and the ACT. In the ACT, there are no trading restrictions, so shops generally open for trade on Boxing Day. However, as Boxing Day is a public holiday, under most SDA Agreements, members have the right to refuse to work on Boxing Day in the ACT.

Christmas and Easter are the two times each year where consecutive public holidays provide an opportunity for members to spend quality time with their families and friends. The right to not have to work on these days is particularly important for those members whose families are separated by long distances. Of course, the right to spend time with family and friends on public holidays cannot be taken for granted. Retailer associations have continued to push for the removal of penalty rates and the deregulation of all trading hours across the whole country. Their objective is to make weekends and public holidays no different to any other day of the week. The best way to protect your public holiday entitlements is to make sure your co-workers join the SDA. Working hard to improve your public holiday enƟtlements The SDA continues to fight to protect and improve public holiday benefits for our members. The SDA currently has an application before the Fair Work Commission to vary

the General Retail Industry Award to make working on a public holiday voluntary for Award covered workers. The SDA is also seeking to vary the Retail Award to give full-time and five-start parttime employees the benefit of public holidays that fall on their non-working days. The SDA has already won this benefit for members covered by many different SDA-negotiated Agreements. The SDA has a proud history of working hard to protect and improve the entitlement of our members to have time off on a public holiday. Some important examples include:  The SDA won Easter Sunday as a public holiday for its members in NSW, the ACT, Victoria and now Queensland. NSW members were the first to get Easter Sunday as a public holiday in 2012. This was the first new public holiday in NSW in almost 125 years. 

In NSW and the ACT, the SDA was able to ensure that where Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day falls on a weekend, the actual day is observed as a public holiday, and an additional public holiday is observed on the following Monday or Tuesday. This means that members no longer miss out on a public holiday when Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day falls on a weekend.

Contact the SDA The SDA has worked hard over many years to ensure that our members get time off work to spend with their families on special occasions, such as Christmas Day and Boxing Day. If you have any questions about your public holidays or trading arrangements over the Christmas season, speak to your Delegate, or SDA Organiser, or contact the SDA’s Information Centre on 131 732.

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 5

Say “no” to work on Boxing D by Bernie Smith Branch Secretary

Retail workers work so hard in the lead up to Christmas Day that you deserve, and need, two days off to properly celebrate with family and friends — both Christmas and Boxing Day. You need two days for so many reasons:

You have the right to refuse! While stores may be able to trade on Boxing Day this year across NSW, all retail and fast food workers have the right to refuse to work on Boxing Day. You have the right to have the day off. It is illegal to pressure you into working. Your store is only allowed to trade if employees have volunteered to work.



So you can travel safely to enjoy time with family who live some distance away;

We understand there is real pressure to work on the



Maybe you spend one day with Mum and one day with Dad;

if you want Boxing Day off. If an employee is forced to



Maybe it’s one day with your immediate family and the next with extended family; or

of up to $11,000 for each employee forced to work on



Simply because you want two days in a row off with your family to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Whatever the reason, retail workers need two days off because Christmas just isn’t Christmas without Boxing Day!

PAGE 6 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

day, but you will have the 100% support of your Union work on Boxing Day, their employer may face a fine the day. If you feel in any way pressured to work on Boxing Day, please report it to the SDA by email or by calling us on 131 732. Boxing Day belongs to you and your family. Just say “no” to work on Boxing Day.

g Day

five Boxing Day facts... work on Boxing Day  Allis completely voluntary for retail and fast food workers. illegal for employers  Ittoisrequire a retail or fast food employee to work on Boxing Day. face fines of up  Employers to $11,000 per individual employee if they force or require them to work on Boxing Day and the employee did not freely elect to work. rules also apply to  These salaried managers who cannot be required to work on Boxing Day can download a simple  You SDA form to hand to your employer if you don’t want to work on Boxing Day. Go to http://bit.ly/2fcntME

PAGE 7

What’s happening at Woolwor Negotiations with many retail employers, including Woolworths Supermarkets, stalled last year due by Bernie Smith, to uncertainty in Branch Secretary the industry while waiting for two outcomes in the Fair Work Commission:  

the penalty rates case; and an application by an employee to terminate the Coles Supermarkets EBA.

Both cases are now resolved and Woolworths Supermarkets, like all retailers, should return to the bargaining table.

Gains at risk Enterprise bargaining has been in place since 1993. Over that period of time, enterprise bargaining has delivered a lot for Woolworths members, including higher base rates of pay, better leave payments, better roster rules, more superannuation, more public holiday benefits and better tea breaks — to name just a few. Since enterprise bargaining started, the rate of pay in the Retail Award has increased 16.8% more than inflation. In the same period, Woolworths base rates have increased by 36.8% more than inflation. That’s a 36.8% real pay rise. All of these improvements are not in the General Retail Award but are in the Woolworths Agreement. It is important to secure a new Woolworths Agreement to maintain the benefits from bargaining. It is also important to secure a new Agreement as soon as possible.

PAGE 8 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

Delegates call for pay rise and new Agreement I held meetings of Woolworths Delegates across NSW and the ACT in November to give an update on bargaining in the retail industry and to discuss the way forward at Woolworths Supermarkets. The update covered:  the penalty rate case; 

the Fair Work Commission and their approach to the Coles Agreement;



the benefits that bargaining has delivered to members in Woolworths over many years; and



the negative impact on members if we went from the Agreement back to the retail Award.

Delegates agreed it was important to negotiate a new Agreement for Woolworths employees, and going back to the Award was not acceptable as it would leave the vast majority of Woolworths employees worse off.

At each of these meetings (some of which are pictured here), Delegates overwhelmingly supported the motion shown in the box below. Similar meetings have been held by the SDA across Australia. The SDA National Office has informed Woolworths of SDA members’ strong demand for them to start bargaining for a new Woolworths Supermarkets Agreement. The SDA has also informed Woolworths of the need for an interim pay rise.

No excuses! The Union is calling on Woolworths to sit down and negotiate a new Agreement that protects take-home pay, improves penalty rates, maintains hard-won SDA workplace conditions, and ensures pay rises for all. I thank Delegates for their strong support and together we will secure a new Agreement for Woolworths employees. If you have any questions, please ask your store Delegates or call the SDA Information Centre on 131 732.

SDA Woolworths Delegates MoƟon: Having heard a detailed report on the progress of negotiations in the retail industry this meeting of SDA Woolworths Delegates calls on Woolworths to: — immediately bargain for a new BOOT compliant Agreement; — pay an interim pay rise or interim increase in penalty rates. This meeting of Woolworths Delegates endorses the SDA negotiating to secure a new BOOT compliant Woolworths Supermarkets EBA that: 1. Protects the existing take-home pay of employees; 2. Improves penalty rates 3. Secures hard-won SDA conditions 4. Ensures wage increases for all during the Agreement

orths Supermarkets How the Woolworths Supermarkets Agreement compares to the Award Shop Assistantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Pay 1992 2017 (July)

AWARD

Inflation (CPI)

Increase

Real Wage Rise

82.1%

$100 then is now... $182.10

Award Rate

$383.30

$763.20

98.9%

16.8%

$198.90

Your EBA Rate

$383.30

$840.52

118.9%

36.8%

$218.90

Delegates vote in Wagga

Delegates vote in Ballina

Delegates vote in Orange

Delegates vote in Sydney

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 9

Case for BeƩer Casual PenalƟes The SDA is running a case in the Fair Work Commission to increase penalty rates for casual by Mitchell Worsley Industrial Officer

workers under the General Retail Industry Award.

If we are successful, casual workers would benefit from increased penalty rates on Saturdays, and receive additional penalty rates for work in the evenings.

Stop the casual discount The SDA is pushing for casual workers to receive penalty rates on top of their casual loading for penalty rate times under the Award.

Under the General Retail Industry Award, casual workers do not currently receive the same penalty rates as permanent employees.

The SDA was also successful in our claim to secure overtime rates of pay for casual retail and fast food workers covered by Awards.

The SDA believes casual workers are entitled to penalty rates for work at unsociable times, and this should be applied in addition to the casual loading.

Our case in the Fair Work Commission to increase penalty rates for casual workers is another way the SDA is working for better pay and rights for casuals.

Under the General Retail Industry Award, casual workers currently receive either no penalty rate in addition to the casual loading for work at unsociable times, or a reduced penalty rate added to their casual loading.

Improving the pay of casual workers in Awards is crucial to workers covered by SDA-negotiated Agreements because it lifts the floor from which we negotiate those Agreements.

BeƩer rights for casuals

If the relevant Award is improved, then it should flow on to SDA-negotiated Agreements during the next round of negotiations.

Earlier this year, the SDA and the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) won better rights for casual workers through a new casual conversion clause in Modern Awards that gave casual workers the right to request permanent work.

If you have questions about our case in the Fair Work Commission, please contact the SDA on 131 SDA (that’s 131 732).

did you know... APPLICATIONS FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION ASSISTANCE FROM THE SDA ARE NOW OPEN

TERTIARY EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2018 APPLICATION FORM The SDA is proud to help SDA members who are studying at a tertiary level with their education costs. The Union has $1,200 TEAP packages for SDA members to assist them with expenses relating to their university studies in 2018. There are also six $600 TEAP packages to help those studying at TAFE and other tertiary colleges in 2018. Full details are set out in the “Conditions of Entry” on the back of this leaflet.

Members must use the Application Form contained in this leaflet to apply. Please attach additional pages if you require more space. Applications must be received by the SDA’s Sydney office no later than 2 February 2018, and successful applicants will be notified by post in February 2018. But remember — the Tertiary Education Assistance Program is available only to financial members of the Union.

HELPING TO BUILD YOUR FUTURE

PAGE 10 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

Members can apply right now for assistance with the cost of undertaking tertiary education through the SDA’s Tertiary Education Assistance Program (TEAP). The application form can be downloaded from the SDA website at sdansw.org.au Under this program, ten SDA members at University will receive $1,200 each and six members at TAFE will receive $600 each towards their educational expenses. Applications must reach the SDA by Friday 2 February.

CUSTOMERS! CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE BEFORE YOU CHECKOUT! Customer abuse and violence towards shop assistants is a matter of increasing concern for our members in NSW and the ACT. It is a growing problem in our industry and it is not acceptable. The SDA has been surveying members across NSW for the last three years on safety issues. In each of the three surveys, a question has been included on the issue of customer abuse. The percentages of members who experienced customer abuse in the 12 months of each surveyed year is: Year Experienced Customer Abuse in last 12 months 2017 60.69% 2016 45.00% 2015 44.50% Unfortunately, many retail workers have a sense that you can’t do anything about it, and that it’s just part of the job. Retail workers do not have to put up with harassment or abuse from customers. Employers have a legal and a moral obligation to protect their staff. The customer is not always right. Abuse is not part of the job. The SDA has approached Government agencies SafeWork NSW and icare NSW about the need to address the growing problem of customer abuse across the retail and fast food industries. Both SafeWork and icare have committed to ongoing involvement in an industry-wide approach to eliminate or reduce the level of customer abuse. In August, Delegates distributed information to members to raise awareness about customer abuse, and to provide booklets in which to record customer abuse incidents.

Our recent discussions with some retailers show that employers are becoming more aware of customer abuse as a key health and safety risk to workers. The solutions to this issue are complex and multifaceted. They include:  Displaying customer signage of the right to refuse service to abusive customers;  Having zero tolerance of customer abuse;  Introducing employer policies that support and empower shop assistants and managers to deal with difficult customers;  Training employees about how to deal with difficult customers;  Displaying notices about the potential for a customer to be banned from a shop, and be charged with trespass offences; and  Engaging in a public awareness campaign. PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN In the lead up to Christmas this year, the SDA is launching a public awareness campaign on this important issue.

The campaign will ask customers to consider how they behave in shops this Christmas because “No one deserves a serve” and we will be encouraging them to “Check their attitude before they checkout”. Keep an eye out for the campaign. This is the next step in what will be a long campaign to address customer abuse and return respect to the shop floor. Of course, this campaign needs to be long term, however short-term successes are important as well. The SDA believes that there needs to be a whole-of-industry approach involving retailers, employees, the Union, employer associations, shopping centre representatives and government bodies, including icare and SafeWork. Reducing customer abuse will prevent a significant number of injuries to our members, and will create safer workplaces. We all deserve to be respected at work.

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 11

UNION PICNIC DAY 2017

SYDNEY

PICNIC DAY IS AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY FOR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME SHOP ASSISTANTS IN NSW, AND FALLS ON THE FIRST TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER, WHICH IS OF COURSE ALSO MELBOURNE CUP DAY. AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE THAN WITH A RACING THEME! ONCE AGAIN, SDA MEMBERS HAD A GREAT DAY OUT AT VARIOUS EVENTS AROUND THE STATE.

PAGE 12 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

DUBBO WANNA SEE MORE PICS? Just visit our facebook page: facebook.com/SDANSW

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 13

The battle As you would be aware, in February 2017, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) ruled to cut Sunday and public holiday penalty rates for workers covered by the Retail, Fast Food, Hospitality and Pharmacy Awards. The SDA won these penalty rates in the Retail Award in 2009 and we have defended them ever since — taking it all the way to Federal Court. The SDA and United Voice appealed the Fair Work Commission’s decision to reduce penalty rates through a judicial review in the Federal Court. Federal Court upholds penalty rates cuts We put up a strong fight to reverse the Sunday and public holiday penalty rate cuts, but unfortunately, the Federal Court did not rule in our favour. While the Federal Court acknowledged that low-paid workers would be adversely affected by this decision, and that a gradual implementation would not make any difference to this, ultimately they found no legal error which would have overturned the FWC’s decision. The decision to cut penalty rates was harsh and unfair — it hurt retail, fast food, hospitality and pharmacy workers who can’t afford a pay cut. Taking the ﬁght to Canberra While the Federal Court’s decision was devastating for workers and their families, it does not undermine the Union’s resolve to continue the fight to restore the take-home pay of retail and fast food employees. SDA NSW & ACT Secretary Bernie Smith says, “We are disappointed that the Federal Court has not overturned the Fair Work Commission decision to cut the pay of some of the country’s lowest-paid workers.

le’s still not over “But the battle does not end here. “The Federal Court found that the FWC decision was legal, not fair. If the law creates unfair results, it’s time to change the law. “We call on the Federal Parliament to pass a law to overturn these unfair cuts. “Our workplace laws are broken. It’s time to change the rules to restore penalty rates and stop cuts to take-home pay.” Three things we need to do While our appeal was unsuccessful, our work continues. There are three things we need to do to restore the take-home pay of workers covered by the Retail, Fast Food and Pharmacy Awards. 1. Introduce a Bill to restore penalty rates Parliament recently voted on a Bill to restore penalty rates and overturn the FWC decision. It was lost by one vote. With recent changes in Parliament due to dual citizenship, it’s time to put this penalty rates Bill back before Parliament.

2. Change the Government to change the rules: Malcolm Turnbull could have stopped the cuts to penalty rates — but he chose not to. He and his Government stood by and allowed the pay of 700,000 workers to be slashed. Tell the Government you won’t be voting for them at protectpenaltyrates.org.au. 3. No cuts without compensation: Raise retail, fast food and pharmacy wages: If the unfair penalty rate cuts are not overturned, the base rates of pay in the Award should be increased to compensate for this. The SDA will now be pushing even harder to increase the base rates of pay in the Retail, Fast Food and Pharmacy Awards in the Annual Wage Review next year. At a time of record low wage growth and growing inequality, we know workers can’t afford to have their pay cut as the cost of living continues to rise.

Protect penalty rates . protectpen altyrates.org

.au

Cuts to awards affect all of us

Most SDA members are covered by SDA-negotiated Agreements, which means the cuts to penalty rates in Awards has not directly affected their take-home pay — yet! However, it does mean the floor from which we negotiate wages in new Agreements is lowered. It is important for all retail workers to continue the fight to protect penalty rates and take-home pay for workers covered by Awards. The Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut Sunday penalty rates in the Retail, Fast Food, Pharmacy and Hospitality Awards will continue to be phased in on 1 July each year until 2020. But the SDA isn’t giving up — until penalty rates are restored, the fight isn’t over.

ATHOL CALLS IT A DAY After more than 40 years of service as an SDA Official, I approached SDA Secretary Bernie Smith, as I have decided to retire. I will be taking leave, starting this December, and when my leave concludes, I will retire from my position with the SDA. I have been privileged to work with six SDA Secretaries over the years and have witnessed the Union growing to be the largest and most effective in the country. The changes to workplace relations, and the effects of the changes on working people in our industry over the past 40 years have been substantial. Nevertheless, the fact that workers need to be united in an active and effective Union has

not changed and, I believe, it is even more important today as we face challenges, from employers and others, to reduce our hard-won wages and conditions. I thank the many hundreds of SDA workplace Delegates that I have had contact with over the years, and the thousands of members that I have been privileged to meet and assist during the time. I wish all members and their families a safe and peaceful Christmas, and festive season, and I look forward to catching up with members in the future. — Athol Williams

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 15

New Coles Agreement Takes S

by Bernie Smith Branch Secretary

A new proposed Coles Agreement is the result of the hard work and workplace leadership of hundreds of SDA Delegates across Australia.

After the FWC decision in 2016 overturned the 2014 Coles Agreement, the SDA held mass meetings of SDA Delegates to resolve the way forward. These meetings were held right across Australia in November 2016, June 2017 and September 2017. In all the mass meetings, it was the Delegates’ firm view that the 2011 Coles Agreement should be preserved, while continuing to press for a new Agreement. Terminating the 2011 Coles Agreement was clearly rejected by SDA Delegates. Delegates understood that terminating the current Coles Agreement would have meant losing many of the superior conditions

PAGE 16 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

and higher base rates of pay won by SDA members over decades of bargaining.

The reality is that Coles collectively pays its

All the registered unions covered by the 2011 Coles Agreement — the SDA, the AWU and the AMIEU — opposed the termination of the 2011 Coles Agreement in the FWC for this reason.

under the Coles Agreement than under the

Securing a new Coles Agreement, as supported by SDA Delegates at Coles, was always the best outcome for Coles employees.

a vote.

ApplicaƟon to terminate 2011 Agreement withdrawn An individual employee at Coles applied to terminate the 2011 Coles Agreement. If it had been terminated, it could have resulted in thousands and thousands of employees suffering a cut in their pay, along with the loss of many superior conditions in the Enterprise Agreement. The applicant initially claimed 63% of staff were adversely affected by the Agreement, then 53%, then 27%, and then she withdrew her claim.

employees millions of dollars more each year Award. This case was lengthy, and initially delayed bargaining for Coles employees, holding up any new Coles Agreement from being put to The applicant has now withdrawn the application. The SDA welcomes the decision of the applicant to discontinue the case to terminate the 2011 Coles Agreement.

SDA secures new Coles Agreement The SDA has secured an in-principle new Agreement with Coles that delivers on members’ four key priorities:

 Protects take-home pay;  Improves penalty rates;  Secures most hard-won SDA Union conditions; and

 Ensures pay rises for all members throughout the life of the Agreement.

s Shape What happens next? The SDA has fought hard to deliver the best possible outcome for Coles workers. The framework of the proposed new Agreement

Don't risk falling back to the Retail Award! Support your SDA Coles Agreement

has been endorsed by hundreds of SDA Delegates from Coles at meetings across Australia. Information about the proposed Coles Agreement will be distributed in stores by Delegates. No new Agreement will be introduced without a vote of Coles workers. Voting on a new Agreement will be completed by the end of February. SDA Delegates have overwhelmingly supported the new in-principle Coles Agreement that protects take-home pay, improves penalty rates, and maintains hard-won SDA workplace conditions. I would like to thank all SDA Delegates for their hard work and strong workplace leadership in securing a new proposed Coles Agreement.

QuesƟons? If you have any questions about the proposed Coles Agreement, please speak to your SDA Delegate or contact the SDA on 131 732.

The Award

The New Coles Agreement  Higher wage rates than the Award  Take-home pay protected with wage increases  Existing employees paid higher of protected pay or new rates  Voluntary work on public holidays  Voluntary work for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, subject to staffing  Rosters to take into account family and study commitments and safe transport home  Status quo for roster disputes  Arbitration of workplace disputes  Adult rates at 20 from day one  15-minute tea breaks  All current saving provisions  Better compassionate leave than the Award  Higher redundancy standard  Paid domestic violence leave  Jury service leave  Emergency services leave  Natural disaster leave  Defence force leave  Pre-natal leave  Blood donor leave  Long service leave — option for double leave at half pay  Limited tenure protections  Superior parental leave provisions

 No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No  No

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 17

Quick tips to save on household essentials ME’s 12th Household Financial Comfort

Switch to save on utilities

To keep your food

Report revealed that the cost of

A key step to trim the cost of utilities

fresher for longer,

necessities is the biggest worry for 44%

is ensuring your current provider is

of Australian households.

competitive.

That’s understandable as these expenses can eat up a large chunk of our income. Below are a few quick tips to save on

check out storage

A number of comparison sites are available

hints online.

that can help you identify low-cost providers

Don’t overlook your home loan

in your area.

A new ME survey shows that Australians

Some will help you make the switch to a

are a nation of bargain hunters, but are

new provider free of charge.

household essentials:

less thrifty when it comes to their biggest

Look for bargains on groceries

Go Sherlock on your spending

purchase – their home loan.

Enjoying savings on groceries is possible if

Investigate what you spend your money

you stick to a few ground rules.

on and identify if anything could be cut

Always plan your meals in advance and

out – this could be anything from coffee

shop with a list – it prevents impulse buying,

64% their insurance policies, and 60%

and restaurant meals to dry cleaning

which can be a real budget breaker.

their energy contracts, only 44% will

and hair colouring.

Never shop hungry, always buy in bulk, try

regularly review their home loan.

Question what you buy and where you shop – could you be getting a better deal? Set a budget on costs and stick to it.

and buy generic products, keep an eye on specials and always check expiry dates. Avoid stocking up on pre-prepared foods – you’ll save a bundle by opting for

While 68% periodically review what they’re paying on their phone plans,

Negotiating your home loan rate or switching lenders could save, on average, up to $130 per month, $1,560

homemade. And where possible, hit the

a year or $46,000 over the life of the

ASIC’s TrackMySPEND app is a good

supermarkets or markets towards the end

loan.

way to keep track of your personal

of the day when fresh produce like bread,

Article supplied by Members Equity Bank Limited

expenses on the go.

fruit and meat is heavily discounted.

ABN 56 070 887 679.

More for SDA NSW members. In the past, members have enjoyed:

A bank built for you. Did you know that ME is a bank built to help Australians get ahead? And as a member of SDA NSW you’re able to access exclusive beneﬁts and special offers via our Member Beneﬁts Program.

discounts on home loans

lower rates on credit cards

bonuses on term deposits

And the great news? We refresh our member offers regularly.

What are you waiting for? Take a look at what’s available to you right now at

mebank.com.au/beneﬁtssda

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.

Combining your super is now just a few clicks away

ConƟnuing to Deliver REST Industry Super continues to deliver strong investment performance to its members. Most REST by Gerard Dwyer members are National Secretary in the Core Strategy. As at 30 September 2017, the Core Strategy posted a one year return of 9.22%. The Core Strategy also retained its position as the top performing fund as compared to other similar options of super funds surveyed by SuperRatings over 10 years. International shares and Australian shares were key positive contributors to Core Strategy’s solid gains over the past year. Property was another key positive driver of returns. Over 10 years, the Core Strategy has returned 6.13% p.a. (as of 30 September 2017), compared to the median fund

10-year return of only 4.66% p.a. A list of the top performing funds over 10 years is provided below. Today, REST serves around 2 million members, and the group’s total funds under management has expanded to approximately $46 billion. Since June 2009, following the Global Financial Crisis, the Core Strategy has grown members’ savings by 109.7%.

REST’s philosophy works With an investment philosophy that focuses on actively managing downside risks for its members, REST’s Core Strategy currently reflects a more defensive setting. This is about protecting members’ investments while also achieving above-average returns. The table above below again demonstrates that REST is delivering for retail, fast food and warehouse

If you’ve been working for a while, chances are that you have more than one super account. This could mean that you’re paying multiple fees, which over time can add up to thousands of dollars! By combining, you’ll ﬁnd it easier to manage and to grow your super through savings on multiple fees.

workers across Australia.

FUND OPTION RETURN AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2017 REST — Core Strategy CareSuper — Balanced UniSuper Accum (1) — Balanced HOSTPLUS — Balanced Equip MyFuture — Balanced Growth Cbus — Growth (Cbus MySuper) AustralianSuper — Balanced Catholic Super — Balanced Commonwealth Bank Group Super — Balanced BUSSQ Premium Choice — Balanced Growth Source: SuperRatings, as at 30 Sep 2017

Why combine?

ROLLING 10 YEAR %

ROLLING 10 YEAR RANK

6.13 6.01 5.75 5.70 5.69 5.61 5.50 5.49 5.47 5.45

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Visit rest.com.au to get started

As we have not taken into account your circumstances, please consider whether this information meets your needs. Go online for a PDS to consider before deciding. REST has no relationships that might inﬂuence our advice to you. REST does not pay or receive commissions. This information is provided by the issuer Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd ABN 39 001 987 739 as trustee of REST (Retail Employees Superannuation Trust ABN 62 653 671 394). Issue date: August 2017

Fun and frivolity for an import October is breast cancer awareness month, and the SDA has for many years supported the cause. by Philippe LeCompte, In addition to Education Officer purchasing pink ribbons for our Delegates, the Union held two major events and also supported smaller fundraising events in workplaces around NSW and the ACT. On the Friday before Grand Final Day, we held a charity breakfast in the SDA Training Rooms with special guest speaker Royce Simmons, former Panthers player and coach, and Pink Ribbon Ambassador Louise Sinclair. This event raised over $7,000. Thank you to our many supporters. Penrith RSL was the venue for our pink ribbon trivia night, raffle and auction

PAGE 20 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

fundraiser event held on Saturday 28 October. Live music, games, trivia, a raffle and an auction saw $8,000 dollars raised for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Thank you to all the Delegates that sold raffle tickets. Over 5,000 tickets were sold! The night would not have been a success without help from some special Delegates. Thank you to Laurence, Suzi, Kimberly, Jacqueline, Julie, Bronwyn and Katie for getting prizes and organising the event. Special thanks to Kimberly at Best Events Ever for the amazing room decorations. Laurence did a fabulous job creating the trivia questions, and Suzi was a great MC and auctioneer. A big thank you to Janet from Penrith RSL who has been an enthusiastic supporter ever since we first talked 11 months ago. Thank you to everyone who helped this great cause.

rtant cause

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 21

PracƟcal support to deal with domesƟc violence by Monica Rose Industrial Officer

The SDA

Additionally, we’re campaigning for paid

recognises the

domestic and family violence leave to

devastating

be included in the National Employment

impact domestic

Standards (NES) so all workers can access

and family

paid leave if they need to.

violence is having

Financial Abuse

on our community. Everyone in the

community has a role to play in ending domestic and family violence, including unions. Domestic and family violence doesn’t just affect you at home; it can affect you at work too. This includes your ability to get to work on time, your attendance at work, your work performance, your safety and the safety

Financial abuse is a common form of domestic and family violence, where victims are controlled by being isolated from household financial information and access to funds. Financial security is a key element in ensuring women’s long-term safety from violence as poverty and financial hardship often cause women to stay in, or return to, abusive relationships.

of your co-workers.

A new app aims to help

The SDA assists workers experiencing

The SDA recognises the need for practical

domestic and family violence, by providing:

support for women experiencing domestic



information about, and access to, entitlements;



assistance with negotiating flexible

and family violence, so we are proud to support the development of a new national app, Penda, by the Women’s Legal Service

working arrangements;

Queensland.

liaison with management on your

Penda is a national, free, easy-to-use app

behalf; and

combining financial, personal safety and

support in developing a safety action

legal information, as well as nationwide

plan with your employer.

referrals for a range of vital services for

We also argue for domestic violence

women who have experienced domestic and

leave to be included in every Agreement

family violence (DFV).

negotiated by the SDA.

Friends, family, employers and support

More than 1.6 million Australian workers

people can also use Penda to help others.

already have access to domestic violence

The safety of Penda users is paramount.

leave thanks to union-negotiated

The app includes safety warnings prior to

agreements.

and after download.

PAGE 22 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

Penda provides information on risk factors, safety planning, and the safe use of technology. Penda is Australia’s first financial empowerment app for women who have experienced domestic and family violence. Penda helps to break the cycle of violence and build safer, more secure futures. It was developed by Women’s Legal Service Queensland in collaboration with Financial Rights Legal Centre with funding from Financial Literacy Australia. A national communication campaign was made possible with funding from CUA.

You can download the Penda app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Flexible Hours for Parents and Carers The SDA is supporting the Australian Council of Trade Union’s (ACTU) test case in the by Bernard Govind Industrial Officer Fair Work Commission for workers to have the right to reduce their work hours during periods of significant parenting or caring responsibilities. This would allow workers to go parttime or reduce their hours if they need to care for a loved one, such as a young child or an ill or ageing parent, with the security to return to their full-time hours or to their previous part-time hours.

Improving people’s lives The SDA has a long history of advocating for better financial support for families and for more family-friendly work arrangements to assist workers in combining caring responsibilities and paid work. This includes our campaigns for unpaid and paid parental leave, and for stronger rights for pregnant employees at work. Juggling work and family is becoming increasingly difficult for many SDA members, especially women, who face challenges when it comes to rostering, taking parental leave and returning to work after the birth of a child.

The SDA believes the right to reduce

Unions, including the SDA, are

work hours to care for a loved one is an

campaigning to make a difference on

important step in ensuring that workplace

this issue as the ACTU prepares to make

laws are fair and relevant for Australian

its case in the Fair Work Commission in

workers and their families.

December this year.

MEMBERS’ STORIES: HOW RETAIL WORKERS ARE LEFT WORSE OFF REDUCED WAGES, DEMOTION, AND FEMALE MANAGERS FORCED TO RETURN TO WORK AS CASUALS

The only way I got my role back was to put my daughter into daycare for five days a week. I found it very un-family friendly. If I wanted to keep my role I had to put my employers first and my family second. REFUSING TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO RETURN TO THEIR PREVIOUS POSITION, OR THEIR PREVIOUSLY ROSTERED HOURS, EVEN IF THEY HAVE NOT REQUESTED ANY CHANGE

I was told I would have my job back when I returned from maternity leave, but it was no longer available, when I came back. The HR manager did not know anything about my previous work history and was going to place me in a relief team moving store to store, which was not suitable to my childcare needs at all. I ended up returning to a part-time position with a minimum 20 hours and was given as little as 8 hours some weeks. OFFERING ROSTERS WHICH ARE INCONSIDERATE TO FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES AND UNREASONABLY REFUSING FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS

I had to limit my availability for work because my husband and I both work – so I have to be home sometimes to look after my daughter. I was told by my employer that it was not fair on the other employees if I was only available on a small number of days and times, and that I had to work whenever they needed me. Nearly all the other employees either have school-aged children or are themselves just leaving school and are in between courses. Lots of them are only available when I am not, so it would be easy for my employer to roster them instead.”

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 23

OFF

ICES! NORMAL PR

It's time to splash out at...

SDA FAMILY DAY

on Sunday 25 February 2018 at Wet'n'Wild Sydney The SDA’s Family Day at Wet’n’Wild Sydney is a great day out for members and their families. For this day only, SDA members, their families and friends are entitled to a special $35 admission price (that’s a whopping 50% off the normal adult’s price!). Plus, you can pre-order your lunch for the special price of $12. With over 40 slides and attractions, including a whole zone dedicated to little water adventurers, and adrenalin-pumping action on some of the tallest and fastest water rides in the world, it’s so much more than a water park. So bring your swimmers and be ready to get wet!

HOW TO ORDER 5 Order online: go to sdansw.org.au; or > Order by phone: ring 131 SDA (that’s 131 732); or

, Order by mail: complete the form on this page and mail it to: SDA NSW Branch, PO Box K230, Haymarket NSW 1240 Your order form must be received by the SDA office no later than

FRIDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2018 NO ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DATE.

APPLICATION FOR SDA FAMILY DAY 2018 TICKETS YOUR DETAILS Name: .............................................................................................................. SDA Membership Number: ..................................................................................... Address: ........................................................................................................... ..................................................................................Postcode ......................... Phone:

Home ........................................Work ...........................................

E-mail Address: .................................................................................................. Employer:

................................................................................................... Suburb/Town ..................................................................................

TICKETS AND PAYMENT I would like to order: [insert number] ...............tickets @ $35.00:

$ ..................................

[insert number] ...............lunch orders* @12.00

$ ..................................

Registered Post Charge:

$.............4.50 ...............

Express Post $6.00

$ ..................................

Total:

$ ..................................

Payment Method:



Cheque

Credit Card Type:



Mastercard



Money Order 



Credit Card [complete details below]

Visa

Card Number: ....................................... Expiry Date: ............................................ Cardholder’s Name [please print]: .......................................................................... Cardholder’s Signature: ........................................................................................ *You’ll get a choice of: beef burger, fries and soft drink; or chicken burger, fries and soft drink; or fish & chips and soft drink.

INJURED EMPLOYEES ARE ENTITLED TO WORKERS COMPENSATION AND REHABILITATION

IF YOU’RE INJURED AT WORK... If you are unfortunate

What not to do

enough to experience

 DON’T be told which doctor to see; it is your

a work-related injury, your life can quickly be upended. It’s important not to inadvertently waive your

by jane Lui Workers Compensation Officer

rights amidst all of the chaos.

right to see your own doctor.

 DON’T go to a company doctor for medical treatment. You have the right to choose your own doctor.

 DON’T be talked out of making a WorkCover claim.

 DON’T assume that all managers will advise you correctly.

What you should do  DO see your own doctor, not the company

 DON’T rely on management to fill in the claim forms for you — contact the Union or the Workers Health Centre for help.

doctor.

 DO get your doctor to fill out a WorkCover Certificate of Capacity.

 DO notify your employer of a workplace injury as soon as possible.

 DO fill out an Incident Report Form, and

 DON’T accept a supervisor or management person coming into your doctor’s rooms with you – your medical details are private.

 DON’T meet with management alone — contact your Delegate

record the incident on the Injury Register.

Additional tips

Make sure you keep a copy, refer it to your

You don’t need to see any other kind of health

HSR/Delegate and note any witnesses.

professional before a doctor, for example, a nurse

 DO fill out a Workers’ Injury Claim Form.  DO take a witness when you talk to a management person about your injury.

 DO keep copies of all documents and keep a diary.

 DO treat injuries seriously, no matter how minor.

or a physiotherapist. You can always see your doctor. You also don’t have to tell your employer when you see your doctor. Sometimes doctors discourage workers from making a claim. The doctor may be well meaning, but that is not medical advice and is beyond their expertise. It

Managers – keep out of medical appointments! All SDA members should be aware that managers and insurance companies have no right to attend your medical appointments, even if it is for a workrelated injury. This is supported by the Fair Work Ombudsman. Medical appointments are private. Tell any manager or insurance company representative that they are not entitled to attend. Contact the SDA if you need any help.

could damage your interests if it turns out that you require medical treatment, such as surgery, which will be at your own expense.

We’re here to help If you ﬁnd you experience any kind of discrimination because you made a claim, call the SDA for advice and assistance.

CONTACT THE SDA ON 131 SDA (131 732) AT ANY STAGE IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO YOUR WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIM.

Reasons to feel good about sick leave by Alison Varga Organiser

Sick leave, or personal leave, is paid leave when a full-time or part-time employee is unable to attend work due to personal illness or injury.

Awards and Agreements provide for two weeks (76 hours) of personal leave per year of service, and unused personal leave rolls over from year to year. If you resign, sick leave is an entitlement that is not generally paid out. How much noƟce do you have to give? Sickness can strike at any time, so there is no black and white answer to how much notice must be given in the event of illness. Your employer has no right to say you haven’t given enough notice and demand that you work, however, you have a responsibility to give appropriate notice in case the shift needs replacing. The more notice the better. Agreements may provide an indication of what may be considered appropriate. What’s the best way to contact the store? Calling to speak to the highest appropriate manager is the best way to call in sick. Try to avoid texting or messaging individual people, because they may not be in a position to assist (for example, if you text your boss and it’s their day off, they won’t be able to do much about it). If you contact the store and have to leave a message with someone who is not the manager, take note of the time and who you spoke to in case you need to show proof at a later date.

Do I have to provide a doctor’s cerƟficate? In some EBAs, employees are entitled to two absences each year without documentation. When these days have been exhausted, you may be required to provide evidence that you were unwell. This can be a medical certificate, or a statutory declaration declared by you and witnessed by a Justice of the Peace. In many instances, you can have your statutory declaration witnessed free of charge at chemists and post offices. A statutory declaration is a legal document and making a false declaration is a serious offence. If you’re not sick, don’t claim sick leave There are serious penalties for submitting false statutory declarations to access personal leave. It may seem like a no-brainer, but if you call in sick and then check in at a festival on Facebook it’s not going to look good!

Can personal leave be used to care for others? If you have immediate family members who are ill, injured or experience an unexpected emergency and are dependent on you for care, you can access your personal leave to attend to them. The same conditions apply as above. Can you use personal leave for medical appointments? From time to time, you may be in a situation where you need to access leave to attend medical appointments. You should try to make these appointments outside of work hours where possible. If an appointment in work hours is unavoidable and unlikely to recur on a regular basis, discuss the options with your manager. If in doubt, contact the SDA Casual workers Most casual employees are not entitled to paid sick leave, but of course, they do not have to attend work if they are ill. They do not have to provide evidence of sickness. Some casual employees, like SDA members at Bunnings do have access to some paid sick leave. Check your Agreement.

the origins of sick leave New South Wales employees have been entitled to a minimum of one week’s sick leave since 1951; nearly 60 years ago! This was won by unions making demands of the Labor Government of the day. It might be worth reflecting that American workers have no such guarantee. Union membership rates have always been much lower in the USA than in Australia. To this day, two out of five private sector workers in the USA receive no sick pay entitlement at all. That includes six million food-service and food-preparation workers who have to choose between working when sick or losing pay.

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 27

25 YEAR CLUB 2017 EVENTS The SDA has many long-term members who have reached â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or exceeded â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 25 years of membership. These members are part of the exclusive 25-year membership club! We arrange annual get togethers to reward and celebrate with these special people. Here are some pics of recent events held in Sydney. Once again, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to thank each and every one of you for your loyal membership. The Union needs people like you!

LUNCHEON

PAGE 28 I SUMMER 2017 I SDA NEWS

DINNER

SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 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.

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 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.

Europcar Rentals

Trent 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.

Book with Trent and receive a $10 discount on any full-priced lesson*. Use coupon code SDATrent when booking. Go to ltrent.com.au for more information.

PAGE 30 l SUMMER 2017 l SDA NEWS

*oﬀer only available to students that are new to Trent Driving School. Not valid with any other oﬀer.

www.engagingmembers.com.au

TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS...

t n u o Disc ie Tix Mov

+ 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

and 4.00pm Monday to Saturday (except on public holidays).

ALL TICKET OPTIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE! All SDA Movie Tickets are now available as e-tickets,, which you can print at home or redeem on a smartphone. Order online at sdansw.org.au.

SDA NSW BRANCH + 131 SDA (131 732) + WWW.SDANSW.ORG.AU SDA NEWS I SUMMER 2017 I PAGE 31

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SDA MEMBERSHIP YOUR MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES GREAT OFFERS BROUGHT TO YOU BY FREQUENT VALUESTM

VALUE

ONE REG ULAR FRIES WITH CLASSIC SAUCE

www.entertai

nmentbook.co

m.au

ping

You and your guests are invited to enjoy 25% off the total bill. e

(This offer may also be used when dining alone) (Valid for dine-in and takeaway)

VALID ANYTIME (Subject to EPA Rules of Use)

through 30 Decem

rith

ber, 2018

See Rules for conditions, holidays, party discount-d ining programs etc. Not valid with any other surrendered. . Voucher third Valid V through 30notDecember, 2018 VOIDnow transferable if swapped, and must be purchased, sold or bartered for cash.

See Rules for conditions, holidays, etc. Not valid with any other third discount-dining programs. Voucher not transferable and must be party disc surrendered. VOID if swapped, purchased, sold or bartered for cash. surrender

ENJOY MORE THAN

2500

ta amatta

Valid for one complimen tary regul with class ar fries ic regular fries sauce when another with class of equal q ic sauc or greater value valu is purch e ased.

Valid now

UP TO

www.entertainmentbook.com.au

VALID ANYT ANYTI

(Subject to

EPA Rule Rules

of Use)

VALID ANYTIME

ber, 2018

ONE PRE TZEL AND HOT BEVERAGE

through 30 Decem

(Valid for dine-in and takeaway)

ook.com.au

Valid for one complime limentary pretzel and w when another pretz hot beverrage el and o equal or of greater value hot beverage is purch pu ased. sed.

Valid n now

You and your guests are invited to enjoy 25% off the total bill.

ntertai tertain VALUE ALUE www.ent AL A nmentb mentb

Valid Valid lid no now ow tthr through thro thro ough h 30 Decembe D Decem Dec De December, cem mbe be ber, r, 201 2018 18 1

See Rules for conditions, holidays, etc. Not valid with any other third party discount-dining programs. Voucher not transferable and must be surrendered. VOID if swapped, purchased, sold or bartered for cash.

4,500

20000

See Rules for conditions, holidays, party discount-d ining programs etc. Not valid with any other surrendered. third VOID if swapped, . Voucher not transferable and must be purchased, sold or bartered for cash.

UP TO

www.entertainmentbook.com.au

VAL VAL VA VALID ALID L ANYTI LI AN A ANY ANYT N

Y YT ME M (Subjec bjectt to EPA R Rules ules of Use) e)

(Subject to EPA Rules of Use)

Valid for double cone one complimentary or cup ice when anoth cream/sorb er double cone or cup et of equal or ice cream greater value is purchased. /sorbet

(Subject to EPA Rules of Use)

VALID TO

EPA Rules

of Use)

VALID TO

SDA SD DA NSW membership mem mbbership m ber ersh shipp ship pprogram pr rooggra gra ram 20177 2017 20

VALID ANYTI

(Subject to

Valid alid now throug throu rough h 30 Decem emb mber, m mbe ber, ber er,, 2018 er e 201 2 20 018 01 18 1 8

You and your guests are invited 25% off the total bill.

Valid now through 30 December, 2018

GREAT OFFERS

ONE DOU BL BLE LE CONE OR B CUP UP P ICE CREA U M/ SORBET /

www.entertai rtainme rtainm rtainme ainmentb me m e tbook.co m.au

www.entertainmentbook.com.au

sda.com.au 8139 1000 69 Fullarton Road, Kent Town SA 5067

31/12/2018

sdansw.org.au 131 SDA (131 732) 3/8 Quay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000

SDANSW.ORG.AU

UP TO

20%

OFF

ACCOMMODATION Hotels • Resorts • Apartments

Over 2,000 hotels, resorts and apartments to select from.

31/12/2018

sdansw.org.au 131 SDA (131 732) 3/8 Quay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000

OFF

OFFERS

up to $25 off maximum deduction

Including 2 for 1 offers

EASY TO REDEEM!

VALID TO

50%

DINING

Over 2,000 restaurants to select from.

EASY TO REDEEM! Book instantly online

UP TO

ENJOY

Redeem with your smartphone or SDA card

Offers include activities, or many other discounts from popular local services in your city. EASY TO REDEEM! Redeem with your smartphone

Check your SDA Members Handbook or go online at sdansw.org.au to view the offers. Offers correct at time of printing. For the latest listing and terms and conditions please refer to the SDA website.

17065