In introducing the Bill, NSW Premier Chris Minns said:
That means pay rises for all SDA members.
BY BARBARA NEBART, BRANCH SECRETARYThe SDA is very pleased that the new Minns NSW Labor Government has kept its pre-election promise to protect retail workers from abuse by customers.
Legislation was passed on 29 June 2023 to increase the penalties for those who abuse or assault retail workers, with offenders to be hit with sentences of up to 11 years in jail.
The reforms will be in three new offences:
l A 4-year jail term for anyone convicted of assault, throwing a missile, stalking, harassing or intimidating retail workers while on the job, even if no physical harm is caused;
l A maximum 6-year jail term for offenders who physically harm employees while at work;
l A maximum 11-year jail term would be levelled at offenders who cause grievous bodily harm.
“Everyone should be treated with decency and respect while at work. There is no excuse for assaulting anyone, particularly not someone who is doing their job.
“This Bill reflects our Government’s commitment to support our workers and ensure their safety in the workplace.”
Research by the SDA found that a staggering 85% of retail workers have been abused or assaulted at work.
During the pandemic, we learned a new definition of what an essential worker was and the people working on the frontline, inside stores and supermarkets, were subject to increased abuse while on the job. This is a great step forward in protecting retail workers from the ever-increasing incidence of abuse by customers!
It reinforces our message that No One Deserves a Serve! PAY RISES
In further good news for SDA members, the Award pay rates for retail and fast food members increases by 5.75% from 1 July 2023.
This equates to an extra $1.34 per hour in pay for adult Level 1 workers on the retail and fast food awards. This 5.75% increase applies to rates of pay in the Awards and in Enterprise Agreements where the rates of pay are determined by the Annual Wage Review.
Remember to check your pay slips to ensure you’re receiving the correct wages.
If something doesn’t look right, check with the SDA to review your pay.
At a time when many Australians are skipping meals, struggling to pay the bills and cutting out essentials, this pay rise is a necessity.
Strong wage increases like this –which deliver more money into the wallets of essential workers – is exactly what is needed to address this cost-of-living crisis.
This huge win wouldn’t have been possible without the support of SDA members. So, take a bow!
As the cost of living continues to go up, the SDA will continue our work for fair and decent pay rises.
In yet another big win for the SDA, the process to request flexible working arrangements has been improved to better serve workers and their specific needs.
Under the changes, employees will now be able to challenge the validity of a refusal by making an application to the Fair Work Commission (FWC).
This important change will ensure that employers genuinely try to accommodate an employee’s need to change their working arrangements.
The SDA has strongly advocated for strengthened rights for workers and were instrumental in achieving the changes to the flexible working arrangements entitlement, which will provide workers with improved rights to rosters that support them to manage their work and care.
See page 13 to find out:
l How to request a change to working arrangements
l What changes you can request
l How to make a request
l What to do if your request is refused HARASSMENT
In March, significant improvements to workplace sexual harassment laws came into effect.
The changes mean that in addition to sexual harassment at
work being unlawful under the Sex Discrimination Act, it is now also unlawful under the Fair Work Act, meaning that the Fair Work Commission (FWC) can hear disputes raised by workers who are sexually harassed at work.
The SDA has campaigned for these changes over many years because we know the sad reality is that many people are sexually harassed at work.
Under the changes, making a complaint about sexual harassment will be quicker to deal with and workers can get help and engage interventions earlier to put a stop to it.
See pages 14-15 to find out how the SDA can assist you in making an application.
The SDA has won a huge breakthrough case against a McDonalds’s franchise in South Australia.
The franchisee’s five-year, antiunion bullying campaign cost it $275,000 in fines, and legal costs were awarded to the SDA (see page 22).
The SDA also recently recovered $10 million in backpay for ALDI DC workers across the country after a recent Federal Court ruling (see page 21).
These results show how it pays to belong to the SDA!
SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, SDA NEWCASTLE & NORTHERN BRANCH
WWW.SDAN.ORG.AU
PHONE 1300 SDA HELP (1300 732 4357)
POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 2211, Dangar NSW 2309
EMAIL ADDRESS: secretary@sdan.org.au
‘CAUSE
Published by the Shop Assistants and Warehouse Employees’ Federation of Australia, Newcastle and Northern NSW.
Editor: Barbara Nebart
UNION OFFICIALS
President: Mr G Luxton
Vice Presidents: Mr T Coggan Ms R McGuire
Secretary/Treasurer: Barbara Nebart
Assistant Secretary: David Bliss
INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS:
Brendon Lott, Zak Holgate
ORGANISERS:
Lyn Wiebe, Debra Dunning, Susan Sneesby, Ruby Coventry, Troy Woods
RECRUITMENT OFFICERS:
Belinda Urquhart, Michael Owen, Scott Harrison, Karla Gunther
INFORMATION OFFICERS:
Georgia Coombs, Claudia Nock, Isobel Carr
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER:
Peta Bereczky
COMMITTEE:
R Simmons (Woolworths)
E Frost (Coles)
J Crotty (Woolworths)
L Farrell (Coles)
C Morris (McDonald’s)
D Sheehan (Dan Murphy’s)
increased abuse and assaults by customers.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said:
BY BARBARA NEBART, BRANCH SECRETARYWe are very pleased that the NSW Labor Government has kept its pre election promise to protect retail workers from abuse by customers. Research from the McKell Institute, commissioned by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association found that a staggering 85% of retail workers have been abused or assaulted at work.
During the pandemic, it became clear that retail workers were as essential as our nurses, police and doctors.
Retail and fast food workers on the frontline, inside stores and supermarkets were subject to
Legislation was passed on 29 June 2023 to increase the penalties for those who abuse or assault retail workers, with offenders to be hit with sentences up to 11 years in jail.
The reforms will be in three new offences:
u A 4-year jail term for anyone convicted of assault, throwing a missile, stalking, harassing or intimidating retail workers while on the job, even if no physical harm is caused;
u A maximum 6-year jail term for offenders who physically harm employees while at work;
u A maximum 11-year jail term would be levelled at offenders who cause grievous bodily harm.
“Everyone should be treated with decency and respect while at work. There is no excuse for assaulting anyone, particularly not someone who is doing their job.
“This Bill reflects our government’s commitment to support our workers and ensure their safety in the workplace.”
Minister for Industrial Relations and Work
Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:
“This type of offending causes enormous distress for the shop workers, their families and the wider community and can leave lasting emotional scars, as well as those caused by injury.
“It’s crucial that people feel safe when going to work and these changes will provide a deterrent for those who would behave in this manner to people trying to provide them with a service.
“I’ve heard firsthand from retail workers who have experienced terrible abuse which has affected their working life, this legislation signals the Government’s support for our workers and their safety.”
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and that includes retail workers, they are essential to our economy and society and should not be subject to violence, abuse or threats.
“The new offences will carry more severe penalties than general assault provisions, and send a strong message that this behaviour is unacceptable. “We are committed to ensuring the justice system protects workers and that penalties are appropriate and meet community standards.”
This is a great step forward in protecting retail workers from the ever increasing incidence of abuse by customers! No one deserves a serve!
The process for reporting health and safety issues such as abusive and violent customer behaviour may be different depending on your employer and your store.
Find out the correct procedure in your store and when an incident occurs report it to your supervisor. You should also report it to your SDA Health & Safety Rep or Delegate and your Health & Safety Committee if your store has one.
Remember, you’re not alone. If you’re reporting incidents but don’t feel like you’re being appropriately supported, get in touch with the SDA for help.
Yes. You can report any safety issue or hazard that you see or experience, even if it doesn’t happen to you directly.
Reporting incidents creates a record of the abuse so we can push for better protections to make your store safer. If you don’t report it – it’s like it never happened.
When someone gets injured at work, you report it. If you were to slip from a spill on the floor at work, you would report it.
Being on the receiving end or seeing abusive or violent behaviour is a safety hazard. It can have a serious impact on the mental and physical health of you and your workmates.
The SDA is the union for retail, fast food and warehouse workers. The best way to create a united and strong voice for workers at your workplace is to invite a workmate to join the SDA. The more members we have, the more we can improve your pay and conditions at work.
As an additional reward, if you refer a friend to the SDA and they join the SDA before 14 August 2023 you will receive a $20 gift card from the SDA! Refer 2 friends, get 2 gift cards!
To refer a friend, once they have filled in a membership card from an Organiser or joined online, head to our website and enter in your details on the ‘Refer A Friend’ page including the name of the friend you have referred:
Have them visit sdan.org.au/join-now
(just click here) or scan this QR code.
Once your friend has joined, head to sdan. org.au (just click here) or scan this QR code.
CONDITIONS:
Only when your friend has become a financial member of the SDA Newcastle for 3 months, we will post you out a $20 gift card. If your referral does not become a financial member for 3 months, no gift card will be awarded. The Refer A Friend promotion will strictly close on 14 August 2023
Those who wish to participate MUST complete the form on our website by 14 August 2023 to be eligible and your friend MUST join the SDA Newcastle by 14 August 2023, whether by filling out a membership card, or joining online.
If your referral does not become a financial member or cancels before 3 months, you will not be eligible for this promotion. This competition is open to active financial members of the SDA Newcastle only. Members can refer multiple people and a gift card will be awarded for each new member of the SDA Newcastle after 3 months.
2023 is shaping up to be a huge year for bargaining.
The changes made to the Fair Work Act by the Labor Federal Government late last year have supercharged bargaining this year with most major retailers queuing up to bargain. Bargaining has either commenced or concluded across the following businesses:
l Bunnings
l Big W
l Harris Scarfe
l Apple
l Costco
l The Reject Shop
l IKEA
l BBQs Galore
l Best & Less
l Clifford Hallam Healthcare Bargaining is also expected to commence with Woolworths Supermarkets, Coles Supermarkets, Kmart and Super Retail Group in the coming months.
In preparing bargaining strategies for each employer, the Union has surveyed members and consulted Delegates to identify key claims and workers’ priorities.
Members consistently advise that cost of living is the most important issue to address by fighting for decent wage increases which keep pace with inflation, which remains persistently high at 5.6%.
Members also nominate job security, fair rosters and improvements to leave as matters of significance for bargaining.
After almost a decade of wage stagnation under a Liberal Government which kept wages low as a “deliberate design feature”, we are seeing the early signs of wage recovery and workers gaining a fairer share of the economic pie.
The Wage Price Index (WPI) is a price index which measures changes over time in wages and salaries for employee jobs.
The WPI has now recovered to pre-2013 levels and sits at 3.7% p.a. as at March 2023.
Recent Department of Employment and Workplace Relations data (for the December 2022 quarter) shows bargained private sector wages have surged to their highest level of growth in nine years at 3.5% p.a.
The Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review decision, which delivered a 5.75% increase to all minimum award rates, was also a very welcome circuit breaker in an environment where the cost of everyday groceries, energy, rent and mortgages is skyrocketing. This increase applies from the first full pay period on or after 1 July and is also directly linked to many Enterprise Agreements.
The SDA is also prioritising a range of other claims to make members’ working lives better.
Key claims include:
l Increasing annual leave to 5 weeks (and 27.5% loading for casuals).
l Fairer and more predictable rosters and hours of work which accommodate workers’ family and caring commitments.
l Abolishing junior rates for workers under the age of 18 years.
l The payment of superannuation contributions on every dollar earned.
This year will be undoubtedly busy for members, Delegates and Officials as we push hard to lock in new Agreements which provide retail, fast food and warehouse workers with better wages and conditions.
I encourage all members to stand up, speak up, encourage your co-workers to actively participate or to join the Union, if they are yet to be part of Australia’s largest private sector Union.
2023 will continue to be busy and exciting as we work together to get our fair share.
I will be proudly voting “Yes” in the upcoming Voice referendum.
As a lifelong trade unionist, I believe in the principles of acknowledgement, respect and consultation.
Every worker and their union deserve to be acknowledged for their contributions to the workplace, respected as individuals and as a collective, and consulted about decisions which affect them. This is and should be uncontroversial.
It means workers have a voice and are heard about matters which affect them at work.
It doesn’t always mean the employer will bend their willingness to make some changes or abandon changes which have a significant impact on their workforce. But it does mean the views of workers are seriously and genuinely considered, often resulting in a better outcome for the workers affected and the employer.
It is for the same reasons I will be proudly voting “Yes” in the upcoming Voice referendum. Our First Nations peoples have lived on this land for over 60,000 years. The first custodians nurtured this country. First Australians were careful with the land and the lives of others.
Connection with land and all generations was of such value that it has come to define the oldest continuous culture in human history as proud, careful and respectful people. White settlement gatecrashed and has been here, uninvited, for a mere 235 years. It took over 200 years to finally acknowledge Australia was not “terra nullius”.
During this time, we inflicted near genocide, the stolen generation and entrenched multigenerational disadvantage for our Indigenous Australian brothers and sisters — poorer health, shorter life expectancy, a lower level of education and employment, suffered greater wage theft, and a higher infant mortality rate.
If you are a male Indigenous Australian, there is a one in six chance you are in prison or have spent time in prison, often with parents and in some cases grandparents.
I’d like to acknowledge the speech of the Hon. Bob Nanva on 22 June 2023 in the NSW Legislative Council for this description of the treatment of our Indigenous brothers and sisters.
There is much we must do to redress the wrongs of the past and to help our fellow Australians.
Acknowledging past wrongs is the first small step.
The next step is all about now and the future. It’s all about respect and consultation.
The Voice doesn’t make First Nations people “more equal than others” in some twisted Orwellian narrative. It doesn’t mean their vote is more important or carries more weight.
It doesn’t mean there will be a “Third Chamber of Parliament”.
All these arguments have been put against the Voice. They are wrong.
I acknowledge and respect all SDA members will have different views on this matter. I encourage you to vote later this year with a generous heart and in the best traditions of unionism.
Walk together with our Indigenous brothers and sisters to make sure they are genuinely consulted, like every worker, on the decisions which affect them.
It’s just another small step in the long march toward recognition and respect.
The SDA’s campaign to lift the wages of retail, fast food and warehouse workers in Australia has reached its conclusion for another year as we applaud the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) decision to raise the minimum wage by 5.75%.
The SDA believes that all workers deserve a living wage and currently too many people are struggling to afford the necessities or are forced to go without.
The Union campaigned in stores and online, surveying SDA members and workers across the country and collecting their stories.
Over 3,500 individual respondents completed the SDA’s Annual Wage Review survey. The responses were critical in helping shape the arguments put to the FWC by the SDA that outlined why workers needed and deserved a fair and decent pay rise in 2023. The survey results presented no surprises – the cost of living crisis, inflation, and years of low wage growth have left Australian workers struggling to make ends meet.
When asked whether the rising cost of living was ‘putting pressure on [their] household budget’, 93.5% of all respondents either ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’.
Over two thirds (67.5%) of respondents said that their financial position had become worse in the last five years. We also gave SDA members the opportunity to express exactly why they needed a pay rise – without delay – this July. Thousands of stories that detail the financial pressure workers are under were submitted, a small selection of which are shown below.
The SDA would like to thank everyone who contributed to the campaign and completed the survey. Your participation is integral to the work the Union does.
I’m now living in a caravan because I can’t afford a rented apartment any longer.
– Fast Food Worker
At the moment I struggle to pay all my bills. My partner and I have to decide whether we have a proper meal or have the heating on.
– Supermarket WorkerMy wage doesn’t keep up with the cost of living and I have no money left at the end of the week. We’ve had to move back in with family to afford to live.
– Fast Food WorkerMy mortgage has gone up $100 per week and it is extremely hard to keep up the payments and still feed and clothe my family. We have another baby on the way as well and I genuinely don’t know how we are going to survive.
– Supermarket WorkerIt is a big struggle raising two kids on my own on a retail wage. The cost of groceries and power have gone up dramatically. We have to go without a lot of things now due to the costs and I very rarely get to do any fun things with the kids of a weekend due to the struggle.
– Retail WorkerThis huge win wouldn’t have been possible without the support of SDA members.
BY BARBARA NEBART, BRANCH SECRETARY
On Friday 2 June, the Fair Work Commission handed down its Annual Wage Review Decision, announcing massive pay rises for millions of workers.
In good news for SDA members, the retail and fast food Award pay rates increased by 5.75% from 1 July 2023.
This equates to an extra $1.34 per hour in pay for adult Level 1 workers on the retail and fast food Awards.
This 5.75% increase applies to rates of pay in the Awards and in Enterprise Agreements where the rates of pay are determined by the Annual Wage Review.
At a time when many Australians are skipping meals, struggling to pay the bills and cutting out essentials, this pay rise is a necessity.
Strong wage increases like this –which deliver more money into the wallets of essential workers – is exactly what is needed to address this cost-of-living crisis.
While employer groups argued for pay rises as low as 3%, we campaigned out in stores and in your communities to ensure you received a real and immediate pay rise.
Over 3,500 workers joined our campaign and shared why they needed a pay rise this year.
Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus, welcomed the news of this pay rise.
“People are skipping meals, avoiding the doctor and dreading their next bill.
“Rents have skyrocketed along with prices of essentials such as bread, milk, petrol and electricity.
“This increase means these workers can keep their heads above water and not have to cut back even further.”
As the cost of living continues to go up, the SDA will continue our work for fair and decent pay rises.
The SDA provides all members with updated information about their rates of pay directly – you can check your current rates of pay through your members portal at sdan.org.au/login
Remember to check your pay slips to ensure you’re receiving the correct wages.
If something doesn’t look right, check with the SDA to review your pay.
Competition applications are now ONLINE only!
Hi my name is Troy Woods and I am a new Organiser with SDA Newcastle! The area I look after is from Cameron Park, Edgeworth and Glendale in Lake Macquarie and all the way down to Tuggerah.
I come to the SDA Newcastle & Northern with 35 years of retail experience - over 20 years of those as a supermarket manager. I have also held state roles within the supermarkets for WHS and Food Safety.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my wife, travelling and listening to country music, as well as playing with my 2 golden retrievers Oska and Buddy.
I am passionate about ensuring all our members are treated fairly and they are not being taken advantage of in the workplace. I am looking forward to working with members to ensure they understand their rights in the workplace and to help grow the Union through developing a great network of Delegates!
We’ve got five fuel vouchers, each worth $150, to give away!
Enter this competition, and you could win a tank (or two) of fuel on us! To enter...
Just click here or scan the QR code below right. You must enter by 12 noon on Friday 25 August 2023 to have the chance to win one of the $150 fuel vouchers! The first five entries drawn from the barrel will win. Winners will be notified by mail. Entries are limited to one per member.
The winners of our December competition were:
l Lily Marinos from Bunnings Warehouse Bennetts Green
l Moya Bell from Coles Umina
l Nenase Latu from Myer Erina
l Grace Oakes, Honorary Member
l Nanette Meyer from Big W Muswellbrook
work times, and the inability to change rosters to meet their needs.
BY BARBARA NEBART, BRANCH SECRETARY
The right to request flexible working arrangements has been amended to better serve workers and their specific needs.
Prior to the amendment, the employer was able to accept or refuse a request on reasonable business grounds and employees had no means to challenge the decision.
Under the changes, from June 2023, employees are able to challenge the employer’s decision to refuse a request in the Fair Work Commission (FWC).
This important change will ensure employers genuinely try to accommodate an employee’s need to alter their working arrangements.
In 2021, almost 6,500 SDA members were part of a study the SDA commissioned with UNSW to enquire into the challenges experienced when managing family and care resposibilities with their employment needs.
The Challenges of Work, Family and Care report found that high proportions of members face challenges in managing responsibilities outside of work, including providing care, because of unpredictable and unstable rosters, lack of consultation over changing
The SDA has used this study to advocate for strengthened rights for workers, including changes to the flexible working arrangements entitlement, to improve rights to rosters that support members to manage their work and care.
From 6 June 2023, permanent employees and casual employees who have worked with the same employer for at least 12 months can request flexible working arrangements if they:
l are the parent, or have responsibility for the care, of a child who is school aged or younger
l are returning to work after birth or adoption of a child (request can include working part-time instead of full-time)
l are a carer (under the Carer Recognition Act 2010)
l have a disability
l are 55 or older
l are pregnant
l are experiencing family and domestic violence
l provide care or support to a member of their household or immediate family who is experiencing family and domestic violence
You can request a change in working arrangements, for example:
l change in your hours of work, the number of hours and when they are worked
l change in the pattern of your work
l change in your location of work
HOW DO YOU MAKE A REQUEST?
A request for a change in your working arrangements must be made in writing and set out details of the change sought and the reasons for the change. If your employer doesn’t agree to the change, they may demonstrate, on reasonable business grounds, that they will be unable to accommodate the change. These may include:
l they would be too costly for the employer;
l they can’t change the working arrangements of other employees to accommodate the request;
l the request would result in a significant loss in efficiency or productivity;
l there would be a negative impact on customer service.
The new provision makes it clear that an employee has a right to appoint the Union to support or represent them to resolve a dispute in relation to a request for a change to their working arrangement. This would apply at the workplace level and with the involvement of the FWC.
If you need any information, advice or assistance please contact your store Delegate or SDA Organiser, or phone the SDA on 1300 732 4357.
The SDA welcomes new laws that have been introduced to help protect workers from sexual harassment.
In March, significant improvements to workplace sexual harassment laws came into effect.
The changes mean that in addition to sexual harassment at work being unlawful under the Sex Discrimination Act, it is now also unlawful under the Fair Work Act, so the Fair Work Commission (FWC) can hear disputes raised by workers who are sexually harassed at work.
The SDA has campaigned for these changes over many years because we know the sad reality is that many people are sexually harassed at work.
Before now, sexual harassment was not prohibited under the Fair Work Act which meant that the powers of the Fair Work Commission (which handles workplace disputes) were limited to dealing with current employees experiencing sexual harassment and wanting the Commission to issue orders that it stop.
issues (like underpayments and unfair dismissals) are handled through the industrial umpire – the Fair Work Commission.
The SDA has always argued that sexual harassment should be too.
The Fair Work Act has now been amended to explicitly prohibit workplace sexual harassment and allow workers to make applications to the FWC to deal with a dispute if they are being sexually harassed at work. This means the FWC can hear a dispute about sexual harassment that has happened and issue an order to remedy the harm, for example by ordering the payment of compensation or ordering a company to change its processes.
Previously, you could only make a sexual harassment complaint through your employer or through an equal opportunity or human rights commission. This didn’t make any sense because most other workplace
Under the changes, making a complaint about sexual harassment will be quicker and workers can get help and engage interventions earlier to put a stop to it.
Under the new provision, workers will also have protections from sexual harassment by any person – including third parties like customers (who are the perpetrators in many cases in retail and fast food).
Employers are vicariously liable for sexual harassment perpetrated by their employees unless they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent it.
Under the changes, making a complaint about sexual harassment will be quicker and workers can get help and engage interventions earlier to put a stop to it.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT NOT OKAY. NOT EVER.
Unions and workers can now make applications to the FWC including: u for a ‘Stop Sexual Harassment Order’ (SSHO) to put an immediate stop to the harassment, and/or u requirements to deal with the dispute, which will remedy past harm that resulted from the harassment (for example, through compensation).
You need to be a current employee in the workplace in which the harassment has occurred to make an application for a SSHO, but if you want the FWC to deal with the complaint as a dispute, you can be either a current or past employee in a workplace.
In some cases, a worker who is sexually harassed may want to make an application for the FWC to do both. The SDA can help with both applications.
Remember, these new protections didn’t just happen overnight – they are only in place because unions like the SDA campaigned tirelessly for change on behalf of workers.
You shouldn’t experience sexual harassment at work – not by a co-worker, a customer or your manager. It should never happen. But if it is happening to you, call the SDA immediately for support, advice and representation.
Education can be a heavy cost to the family. To help reduce this burden, the Union has been providing free SDA Textbook Scholarships to members and their families for many years. Helping our youth with the cost of education is an investment in the future of our nation.
Who is eligible: The Scholarship Fund is applicable to Tertiary and Secondary students. Parents who are members and have children in these years, or members who are students themselves in these years may apply.
How a scholarship can be used: Textbook Scholarships can be used to purchase textbooks as prescribed on school booklists. SDA Scholarship Vouchers are provided through online redemption at Booktopia.com.au. ballot opens on 1 september: Submissions will open on 1 September and you will receive an email from the SDA notifying you about how to enter –so keep an eye on your inbox! We will send you a link to our website where you can fill out the entry form. How scholarships are decided: Winners are decided by a ballot of applications received via our website form. Textbook Scholarships are limited to a maximum of one per applicant. Notification of winners:
The Union will notify winning applicants via email once the submission date has closed.
Entries open on 1 september. keep an eye on your email for details.
IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE DAD... AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO IT THAN WITH A SURPRISE PACK OF GOODIES VALUED AT $200!
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS: CLICK HERE OR SCAN THE QR CODE ON THIS PAGE, AND ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE ARTICLES IN THIS EMAGAZINE
BY 25 AUGUST 2023
THIS COMPETITION CLOSES ON 25 AUGUST 2023. IT IS ONLY OPEN TO FINANCIAL MEMBERS OF THE SDA NEWCASTLE BRANCH. ONLY ONE ENTRY PER SDA MEMBER WILL BE ACCEPTED. THE WINNER WILL BE DRAWN AT RANDOM AND CONTACTED REGARDING THEIR PRIZE. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR DETAILS ARE UP TO DATE WHEN ENTERING.
These members went to the movies, courtesy of the SDA’s last movie ticket competition. Hope you had a great time!
Brinlie Payne, BWS Wallsend
Louise Harden, Big W Mt Hutton
Claire Filtness, Big W Jesmond
Kirsty Austin, Woolworths Belmont
Lucy Graham, Coles Mt Hutton
Melanie Little, Woolworths Belmont
Hannah Graham, Woolworths Jesmond
Jeffrey Knight, Bunnings Boolaroo
Ashley Kelso, Supermarket Wadalba
Tori Sharp, Coles Lake Haven
Melissa Cooper, Target Glendale
Aileen Coulter, Coles Morisset
Kaleen Apps, Woolworths Lake Munmorah
Kelly Robertson, Best & Less Lake Haven
Katelyne Orr, Coles Services Lake Haven
Vicki Hofkamp, Woolworths Woy Woy
Sharon Gross, Woolworths Umina
Dylan Sheehan, Dan Murphys Bateau Bay
Sharon Ronson, Big W Erina
Nenase Latu, Myer Erina
Rosemary Small, Bunnings Lake Haven
Georgina Corbett, Woolworths Erina
Caitlan Gilmore, Kmart Woy Woy
Tracy Lind, Big W Raymond Terrace
Chrystal Ford, Coles Salamander Bay
Maria Bartholomew, David Jones Kotara
Annalese Fouracre, Woolworths Mayfield
Jessica Stewart, Woolworths Raymond Tce
Connor Lamb, Woolworths Kotara
Christian D’Alessandro, Coles Kotara
Connor Dillon, Kmart Waratah
Teresa Herring, Bunnings Cessnock
Janelle Cooper, Woolworths Green Hills
Danae Robertson, Woolworths Rutherford
Nanette Meyer, Big W Muswellbrook
Alisha Evans, Bunnings Cessnock
Thomas Burgess, BWS Maitland
Jon Keppie, BWS Maitland
Rhys Hughes, McDonald’s Greta
And these members each won a $150 Officeworks gift card in our back-to-school competition. We hope it helped a bit with your expenses.
Mikayla Martin, Kmart Salamander Bay
Donna Burton, Kmart Maitland
Nara Fairhall, Woolworths Mayfield
Megan Lysaught, Big W Muswellbrook
Georgina Corbett, Woolworths Erina
Blood Donation Centres always struggle to receive the donations they need over Winter, and this has been an even bigger problem recently with a lot of flu and Covid in the community.
Blood donations help people through serious events in their life, such as cancer, a car accident or a difficult pregnancy. Others have medical conditions which mean they regularly need blood products.
Donating blood remains as important as ever, and this is why the SDA negotiates for Blood Donor’s Leave in enterprise agreements.
Many enterprise agreements that have been negotiated by the SDA include a relatively common provision known as Blood Donor’s Leave.
The SDA has negotiated this provision with major companies like Coles and Woolworths supermarkets, Bunnings, Target and Kmart, Big W, BWS and Dan Murphy’s just to name a few. The provision allows full-time and part-time employees to be absent from work without loss of pay during ordinary working hours in order to donate blood.
Employees can take up to a maximum of two hours’ paid leave on each occasion, subject to a maximum of four separate absences each calendar year.
It is expected that the employee will donate blood on a day suitable to the employer with sufficient notice of the scheduled appointment.
Proof of attendance at a recognised place for donating blood, such as the Red Cross Blood Bank, and duration of the attendance may be requested by the employer.
Blood donation is quite easy. The whole visit to a Blood Donation Centre usually takes about one hour.
There are over 100 permanent donor and mobile centres across Australia. Remember – you can’t donate blood if you feel unwell.
To make an appointment to donate blood in your area:
l Call the Red Cross Blood Bank on 13 14 95;
l Download the Donate Blood app for iPhone or Android;
l Go to lifeblood.com.au (or scan the QR code below). The website also contains information on donating blood, including frequently asked questions.
For many years, all financial members of the SDA have been covered by the Union’s free Accident Insurance Scheme.
The SDA works hard to continually improve our cover to provide additional benefits, as well as increasing the amount payable for injuries — still at no cost to you.
The SDA’s Accident Insurance Scheme covers you in the event of:
l death,
l total incapacity to work in the job you were trained and/or educated to perform,
l the need for knee reconstruction or arthroscopic surgery,
l the breaking of bones,
l the loss of limbs, sight or hearing,
l the complete or partial tear of achilles tendon, and
l other defined injuries as listed in the policy, when they are caused by violent, external and visible means outside working hours and are not attributable to an illness.
The SDA Insurance Scheme is absolutely free for every financial member of the Union.
If you had to insure yourself with a similar type of policy, it would cost you more than $450 each year.
The buying power of more than 200,000 SDA members nationally enables the Union to cover you for free.
The SDA Accident Insurance Scheme is intended to cover you at all times when you are not covered by workers compensation.
In this way, you have 24-hour cover: workers compensation while at work, and the SDA Insurance Scheme at other times.
SDA members aged up to 80 are covered by the policy world-wide (subject to sanction exclusions), irrespective of where the accident occurs –absolutely free to every financial member of the SDA.
If you suffer an injury, please contact the SDA for advice on the procedure to follow.
Claims should be submitted within 30 days of the accident.
The benefits of the SDA Accident Insurance Scheme are not affected if you have other insurance cover. Conditions apply.
l Dislocation of hip, knee, wrist, elbow, shoulder blade, collar bone or jaw $ 750
l Dislocation of thumb, finger or toe or other joint not specified (each) $ 400
l Accidental bodily injury resulting in breaks or simple fractures to:
– Neck or spine (full break) $ 750
– Hip or pelvis $ 750
– Skull or shoulder blade $ 750
– Collar bone or upper leg $ 750
– Upper arm, kneecap, forearm, elbow, lower leg, jaw, wrist, cheek, ankle, hand, or foot $ 750
– Vertebrae or ribs (per rib) $ 400
– Thumbs, fingers or toes
(per thumb, finger, toe) $ 400
– Other bones (not specified) $ 400
The maximum compensation for any one claim is $1,500. If claiming, a claim form must be submitted including a doctor’s certificate verifying the break, fracture or dislocation.
The policy does not apply to any event arising directly or indirectly out of:
l Any consequence of war (whether declared or not), invasion or civil war or act of terrorism;
l The insured person engaging in any aerial activity, except as a passenger and not as a pilot or crew member in any aircraft licensed to carry passengers;
l Intentional self-injury, suicide, or criminal or illegal act of the insured person who is the subject of the claim;
l A criminal or illegal act or as a result of the injured being intoxicated.
l Pregnancy, childbirth or miscarriage;
toe
l Fractured leg or patella with established non-union
l Shortening of leg by at least 5cm
l Achilles tendon rupture: – complete tear
l Permanent partial disablement not otherwise provided for under the above events
l Allowance for approved alteration to home or vehicle or relocation to a suitable home, subsequent to disability as defined up to
l Reimbursement of reasonable road, air or water transportation costs (excluding those that are prohibited from being paid by law, or are recoverable for any other source) up to $ 2,500
l Knee reconstruction replacing the anterior cruciate or posterior cruciate ligament $ 3,750
l Knee arthroscopic surgery $ 2,500
l Sexually transmitted disease, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) disease or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection (unless accidental);
l Training for or participating as a professional in any sport;
l Racing in or on any motor-powered device other than as part of a volunteer organisation or emergency and rescue service activities;
l Radioactive contamination or radioactivity in any form whatsoever whether occurring naturally or otherwise.
l Benefits considered to be ‘health insurance business’ or those prohibited from being paid by law may not be covered.
*For accidents that happen after 1 July 2022. Please note that the information contained in this leaflet is an outline only. The Union is bound by the full terms and conditions of the policy, which is available for inspection at the Union office.
A Message from your Secretary, Barbara
NebartThe SDA Accident Insurance Scheme is intended to cover you at all times when you are not covered by workers compensation. In this way, members have 24-hour cover: workers compensation while at work, and the SDA Insurance Scheme at other times. Our free accident insurance scheme is another example of how your Union cares for its members, both at home and at work.
For more information on this, or our other services and benefits, please contact the SDA.
To raise members’ awareness of the entitlements available to new parents and to clearly explain their industrial rights, the SDA provides a Parental Pack which includes a guide to industrial rights and obligations relating to parental leave, and a gift for your new baby.
Parental Packs are available to the mother or father of a child who is less than six months old where that parent is a financial member of the SDA either at the time of commencing parental leave or at the time of the birth of the child.
You can register for your SDA Parental Pack immediately after birth of your child – simply contact the SDA by calling 1300 SDA HELP (1300 732 4357).
When you register for your SDA Parental Pack, you’ll automatically go into the draw to win a gift voucher!
Winners are drawn every June and December.
u Charli Gaiter, Coles Rutherford
u Stephanie Langan, Coles Scone
u Taylor Moulds, Hungry Jack’s Singleton
u Giacoma Arnott, Woolworths Raymond Terrace
We congratulate our most recent retirees, and wish them all the best in their future adventures.
u Deborah Allen, Target Erina
u Michelle Laws, Kmart Salamander Bay
u Deborah Whitbread, Ritchies IGA Elermore Vale
u Laurel Thompson, Ritchies IGA Singleton
u Sandra Kur, Myer Erina
u Susan Knight, Myer Erina
u Lesley Thomson, Target Cessnock
u Lenore Petrie, Target Glendale
u Jenny Burgess, Big W Tuggerah
u Christine Clarke, Coles Cessnock
u Hazel Eding, Coles Umina
u Dianne Paoletti, Coles Waratah
u Debbie Trowbridge, Dan Murphy’s Green Hills
u Kelly Brown, Coles Kotara
u Cherylyn Gorrell, Woolworths Tuggerah
u Karen Smith, Coles Toukley
Our condolences go out to the family and friends of members who have passed.
u Linda Crockett, Honorary Member
u Gail Vantveld, Honorary Member
u Christine Wilson, Honorary Member
u Maureen Fitzpatrick, Honorary Member
u Louise Law, Spotlight Rutherford
u Elizabeth Watson, Honorary Member
u Gaudern Pike, Kmart Kotara
u Shane Atkins, NOK of Sharon Atkins, Big W Raymond Terrace
u Paul Kur, NOK of Sandra Kur, Myer Erina
u Michelle Coates, NOK of Kassey Coates, Coles Warners Bay
u Jeffrey Bower, NOK of Kelly Bower, Coles Muswellbrook
Provided you’re being paid, your employer can request you to work overtime if the request is reasonable.
BY ZAC HOLGATE, INDUSTRIAL OFFICERWorking a few extra minutes before or after your shift might not seem like a big deal but it adds up.
If you work an extra 10 minutes each shift and aren’t being paid for this, it can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars in lost pay.
What should I be paid if I work extra minutes or hours?
Firstly, if you’re being asked to stay back or come in early; you must be paid for this time. There is no exception to this and if you’re not being paid, it’s unlawful.
If you choose to work for a few extra minutes, you should be paid at either your ordinary rate or your overtime rates, depending on the circumstances.
My employer is telling me I have to get to work early to do pre-work tasks. Is this true? No. If you’re being asked to come in early or to stay back late without pay, you have the right to say no to working this extra time.
To determine whether this request is reasonable, your employer should consider your personal circumstances (e.g. family responsibilities), the amount of notice given, and your role and work responsibilities.
It should not be an expectation by your employer that you regularly come in early or stay back late to complete work duties.
Other ways you might be losing out at work
There are many ways you can miss out on getting paid properly, including:
l Working through rest or meal breaks;
l “Clocking off’ and then going back to work;
l Completing compulsory training or paperwork at home;
l Not being paid the correct overtime rate.
What should I do if I’m doing unpaid work before or after my shift?
This is unlawful and you have the right to raise this and pursue backpay.
The SDA is committed to stamping out unpaid work in all industries. You should contact us as soon as possible so we can investigate and pursue this for you.
The SDA has won up to $10 million in back pay for ALDI DC workers across the country after taking ALDI to the Federal Court for underpaying workers. ALDI was requiring DC workers to clock-on prior to their rostered start time to undertake “pre-work” duties without pay. These duties included undertaking safety checks, picking up required items, administrative matters and participating in group warm ups.
These kind of duties should not be done off the clock.
This isn’t limited to just ALDI Warehouses. Whether you work in a DC, retail or fast food, we know there are workers right across the country who are being pressured to come in early or stay back late every day.
If you’re being forced to come in early without pay, contact the SDA for advice and assistance.
employment and become casual, by telling them their hours would be cut if they did not give up their permanent employment and become casual…”
“…senior managers falsely and unlawfully told…employees that they could not be promoted to be a manager if they were an SDA member… Telling employees that they had to or should give up their union membership if they wanted to be a manager is unlawful adverse action that breaches the Fair Work Act 2009.”
This is a blatant and unacceptable breach of workplace rights.
These workers – some as young as 15 – were lied to about their rights at work. They were intimidated into giving up their protection at work when they needed it most.
A McDonald’s franchisee in South Australia has paid $275,000 in penalties and legal costs after admitting it broke the law by conducting a widespread unionbusting campaign.
Following two years of court action, brought forward by the SDA, a settlement has been secured.
In total, the McDonald’s Murray Bridge Franchisee has paid $275,000 in fines and legal costs to the SDA. Most of the settlement money was paid to the workers whose workplace rights were violated.
The McDonald’s Franchisee has admitted to their unlawful conduct. After the SDA started court action
against them, the McDonald’s Franchisee exited the McDonald’s system.
The employer admitted that:
“Over…5 years…senior managers… engaged in an unlawful campaign to de-unionise the workforce, including unlawfully inducing members to resign from the SDA and unlawfully persuading potential members not to join the SDA.”
“The Former McDonald’s Franchisee unlawfully instructed or encouraged managers to discourage employees from joining the SDA and from staying SDA members…”
“…managers pressured employees to give up their permanent part time
Former McDonald’s worker and SDA union member Heather Hammond shared her experiences of unlawful union busting at the Murray Bridge McDonald’s:
“All through my employment at McDonald’s Murray Bridge, I witnessed senior management’s ruthless campaign to keep workers out of the Union and to punish workers who joined the Union.”
“I witnessed a McDonald’s manager tell a worker that if she did not resign her SDA membership, she would be demoted.”
“I was pressured into resigning my union membership – they made me frightened I would lose my position as a supervisor.”
“Then, after I gave in to the pressure to give up my SDA membership, my
hours were slashed because I raised a workplace safety concern.”
As one of the richest global corporations, it’s appalling that there are McDonald’s stores where management actively campaigns to deny workers the basic and democratic right to be a union member. Being a member of your union is a fundamental right and your employer cannot stop you from joining and remaining a member of your union.
The SDA’s ground-breaking case against a McDonald’s Franchisee in South Australia now proves it.
The sad reality is that this isn’t just limited to Murray Bridge or McDonald’s.
The SDA is aware of anti-union practices and tactics occurring at workplaces in our industries all over the country.
The SDA is investigating further legal action against McDonald’s stores conducting similar unlawful conduct.
If you suspect anti-union practices are present in your workplace, please get in contact with your local SDA Branch.
You have a right to be a part of your union.
Arising from a National Executive decision, there is an increase in Union fees for members. The new membership fees operative from 1 July 2023 will be as follows:
l Less than 10 hours per week $4.50
l 10 to less than 20 hours per week $8.05
l 20 hours or more per week $11.30
To keep increases at a modest level, the SDA does not adjust Union fees every year. However, we do need to adjust Union fees from time to time to keep representing members in retail, fast food and warehousing, negotiating new Agreements and campaigning for new entitlements for members.
The Union works very hard behind the scenes to protect SDA members by continuing our work to improve members’ wages, working conditions and entitlements.
Our work involves a number of ongoing activities including:
l Defending members’ wages and conditions in Award reviews;
l Negotiating Enterprise Agreements;
l Providing service to many members across thousands of sites;
l Offering the widest possible range of services and benefits available to any union member;
l Producing a wide range of publications such as the Union magazine and other information, including leaflets and booklets which are provided free of charge to members;
l Lobbying State and Federal governments over issues and matters that impact on our members and their families; and
l Representing members both individually and collectively at their workplaces and in various tribunals and courts.
The Union is confident that our new fee levels will enable us to continue to function on a sound financial basis and meet the challenges we will face in the next two years.
There are many benefits to being a member of a trade union – one benefit is that union fees are tax deductible for those members who pay tax. So don’t forget to claim your fees when you submit your tax return.
If you’re an existing Store Delegate or just new to the role, your Union and your workmates thank you!
The overwhelming response when I ask Delegates why they became a Delegate is “to help people. To help workmates, teammates, the new workers and the ones that have an issue they need support or advice with.”
Providing help and support can come in many ways and doesn’t need to take much of your time as a Store Delegate. The Union understands you have a life/work balancing act going on, so any time you can guide or assist your work colleagues is important.
There are Delegates that have less distractions at this time in their life and can be more active in Union business. Whilst other Delegates do the best that they can with the time they have available.
Delegates most often are those team members that the rest of the team gravitate to when they have questions or troubles. They are a good listener and provide good guidance.
A Delegate is a confidante: a friend or associate to whom secrets are confided or with whom private matters and problems can be discussed.
The process of verbally sharing what is bothering you gives you a sense of psychological relief and makes you feel better and as a result may make the issue seem smaller or less severe.
Delegates can help you with ‘next steps’ to resolve your issue, and they always have SDA Organisers on hand to guide them with the best course of action.
Our Organisers and Recruiters in the field are always on the lookout for activists and Delegates to be a part of the team that helps your workmates, as well as keep the Union presence strong in Newcastle, Central Coast and the Hunter.
Equally, we ask Delegates to be on the lookout too.
You can have multiple Delegates in any retail, fast food or warehouse. The spread of hours, different departments and jobs, the size of the business are all reasons for multiple Delegates in the one business.
The more active Delegates in your store, means a shared role. The more, the merrier!
The SDA Newcastle & Northern developed two Delegate training courses to assist, nurture and interact with Store Delegates:
l Introduction Session: 3 hours duration
l Level 1 Training: 2 days duration
These training sessions are facilitated by an SDA Industrial Officer at the Newcastle Office, Central Coast and Hunter Valley venues.
Introduction session (3 hours)
Ideally, Delegates must attend in the first three months of being appointed.
This course is an overview of the Union, Union values, the role of the Delegate, and their behaviour and rights.
We cover the Delegates manual, Agreement/Awards, some frameworks for rostering issues, and problem-solving techniques.
It is a group setting to meet other Delegates and network.
Level 1 Training (2 days)
A group of up to 24 Delegates can attend these very active, involved, hands-on workshops that move through a range of topics and activities.
We further discuss practical ways to be an effective Delegate. We explore Delegate and activist selection and development, problem solving, confidence with management and meetings, Awards and Agreements, as well as recruitment.
We find that Delegates networking, sharing stories and experiences and learning from each other has been a real motivator for those attending.
Delegate numbers have been increasingly hard to maintain and grow in recent years.
This year is busier than ever as we are negotiating the majority of Agreements post-covid, so managing surveys, rolling-out of Agreements and recruiting at sporadic inductions are just some of the important ways an active Delegate can assist their Union.
Interested in taking the next steps to be part of a movement that takes action for real change?
Talk to your store Delegate, Recruiter or Organiser. We can discuss the role in more detail and see if it is the right fit for you.
40 lucky members will win an adults’ double pass to the movies at a Hoyts or Event cinema. The first 40 applications will win.
To enter
Just click here or scan the QR code below.
You must enter by 12 noon on Friday 25 August 2023 to be in the running to win one of the 40 double movie passes on offer!
The first 40 members drawn from the barrel will win. Please nominate your preferred cinema chain on the online application form. If no nomination is made, we will award a double pass to Hoyts.
Winners will be notified by mail. Entries are limited to one per member.
u General Retail Industry Award 2020
u Fast Food Industry Award 2020
u Storage Services & Wholesale Award 2020
u Pharmacy Industry Award 2020
u Pharmaceutical Industry Award 2020
u Vehicle Repair, Service & Retail Award 2020
Agreements
u ALDI
u Ali Baba
u Baiada Steggles
u Barbeques Galore
u Best & Less
u Betts Shoes
u Big W
u Bunnings
u BWS
u Clifford Hallam Healthcare
u Coles Supermarkets
u Coles Express
u Coles Liquor Group
u Costco
u Dan Murphy’s
u David Jones
u Dulux
u EG Fuels
u Freedom Furniture
u Harris Scarfe
u Hungry Jack’s
u Just Group
u KFC
u Kmart
u Lovisa
u Michael Hill
u Myer
u Officeworks
u Priceline
u Prouds
u The Reject Shop
u Sanity
u Super Retail Group
u Target
u Tasty Trucks
u Woolworths Supermarkets
My employer has recently installed a camera in our lunchroom. A few of my colleagues share concerns about this occurring in our common area. I am wondering if they are able to put this device in?
In NSW, the Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 specifies when and how surveillance can be carried out in the workplace.
The main methods include overt (you are made aware) and covert (you are not made aware) surveillance.
Employers are using more and more surveillance at work to protect against theft and crime.
Cameras have been used for many years in retail workplaces. However, with the advances in technology ‘surveillance’ may also include the use of other devices such as:
l global positioning systems (GPS) for transport tracking
l listening devices
l telephones
l computers – for example, to monitor employee’s access to inappropriate emails or websites
l biometrics (technology that recognises people based on fingerprints, iris pattern, DNA, handwriting, etc) – commonly used in monitoring time and attendance of employees, as well as for security purposes
All surveillance is required to be placed in clearly visible places with signs indicating surveillance is taking place.
The employer is also required to provide at least 14 days’ notice for any new surveillance devices. Additionally, the Act specifically prohibits surveillance in certain areas. These include change rooms, toilets, showers or bathing facilities at a workplace.
So, to answer the question, employers are able to install surveillance cameras in common areas such as lunch rooms. However, before the device is installed a minimum of 14 days’ notice must be provided.
I was just wondering what happens if my employer does not provide me with a pay slip, and what information should be included on my pay slips?
Pay slips are vital to ensure that you, the employee, receive the correct pay and entitlements.
Additionally, it allows for your employer to keep accurate and complete records. Your employer is bound by Fair Work Regulations to issue all employees a pay slip. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in your employer being issued an infringement notice by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
There are a few things that must be included on your pay slip, including:
l employer’s name
l employer’s Australian Business Number (ABN)
l employee’s name
l pay period e.g. From 04/01/2023 - To 10/01/2023
l date of payment
l gross and net pay
l if the employee is paid an hourly rate
l the ordinary hourly rate
l the number of hours worked at that rate
l the total dollar amount of pay at that rate
l any loadings, allowances, penalty rates, bonuses, incentive-based payments or other paid entitlements that can be separated out from an employee’s ordinary hourly rate
l any deductions from the employee’s pay
l any superannuation contributions paid
We understand when it comes to wages mistakes can and do happen. The best way to fix up issues usually starts with talking.
If you have any concerns or queries about your pay slips, leave balances, being paid correctly, or accessing your time and wage records, please call our office on 1300 732 4357 and speak to our friendly Information Officers.
Comments on social media (including other people’s posts or pages) are regarded as public comments – they are not private.
Avoid negative comments about your company, your manager or other employees on social media. Some members have come to us after ‘official warnings’ or worse following unwise comments on social media. It’s best not to mention your employer at all.
Be smart. When you go home, leave work behind you. Enjoy your social media for your social life, not your work life.
On 2 May 2023 – in the lead up to its Budget – the Labor Government promised that from 1 July 2026, employers will be required to pay their employees’ super at the same time as their salary and wages.
While 95% of employers pay super with the pay cycle, only 60% of retail and warehousing employers and 8% of fast food employers do so.
Once implemented, pay day super will give SDA members the opportunity to more easily track their super. It will also reduce the risk of wage theft in the form of super theft because the systems will be consistent, and non-payment will be noticed more quickly.
Once superannuation is also in the National Employment Standards, (which the Government introduced into Parliament on 29 March 2023), the SDA will be able to take up members’ concerns about non-
payment of super through the fair work system, which is easier to deal with than the court system. While pay day super may look like a sensible minor change, the benefits for workers cannot be underestimated. Not just for the administrative reasons I’ve outlined, but also for compounding interest!
Rest, the industry super fund for retail, warehousing and fast food, modelled the impact of this seemingly minor change.
If you are paid fortnightly, at 65 years old you could be better off by around $10,600.
This figure is based on your employer’s super guarantee contribution being 12%, your income being around $36,000 at 20 years old, and you having 4% growth in your super over your working life. There are a lot of assumptions in that figure, but an extra $10,000 at retirement could mean the different between getting a holiday
to celebrate, updating the kitchen, getting medical attention or not. It is serious money that would make a material difference for most SDA members.
I look forward to seeing super in the National Employment Standards and having pay day super legislated.
I also look forward to seeing payroll systems updated and compliant businesses.
And, most of all, I look forward to seeing the benefits of compounding interest in your super making a difference to your retirement savings.
To make superannuation even fairer, superannuation needs to be paid on every dollar a worker earns.
At the moment, super is neither guaranteed to be paid to all under 18s, nor is it guaranteed to be paid on a range of other wage payments.
I repeat my call from my last article –under 18s deserve super, and super should be guaranteed to be paid on paid parental leave, by both employers and the Government. Australians on parental leave deserve super.
SDA members and their families are entitled to a 10% discount on the standard price of the preparation of a tax return at an ITP participating branch.
Members and their families are also entitled to a special 20% rebate on business tax returns*.
And, as with Union fees, tax return preparation fees are 100% tax deductible. You can have your return completed in-person or online:
IN PERSON: Go to www.itp.com.au to find your nearest ITP location.
ONLINE : E-mail your name, contact number and postcode to sda@itp.com.au and we’ll be in touch with what we need to complete your return online.
o You must provide your current SDA membership number to receive the discount.
5 www.itp.com.au t 1800 367 487
*conditions apply
The investment performance at Rest Industry Super remains competitive.
Rest’s Core Strategy had a positive start to 2023, returning 2.36% over the quarter, and 5.67% to 31 March 2023.
For pension members, the default balanced option delivered 2.16% for the quarter, and 5.10% to 31 March 2023.
Rest has also been grappling with the impacts of housing stress on members and what the system of superannuation and gross national savings in Australia can do to help.
A report from the John Curtin Research Centre describes how more affordable housing will improve the financial wellbeing and security for many members, and therefore provide greater opportunities for positive retirements. The report also examines a range of options for superannuation to invest in, such as build-to-rent and community housing developments to help increase the supply of rental properties in key demand areas, as well as other investments including build-to-rent-to-own.
The report, Super Solutions: Tackling Australia’s Housing Affordability and Supply Crisis was released in April 2023. It’s available by clicking here or, if you’re reading this as a hard copy, by scanning the QR code below.
Labor’s May Budget included some housing announcements, such as $2 billion for the Housing and Finance Investment Corporation (NHFIC) which will be used for loans to build social and affordable housing and a minimum of 1,200 homes will be built in each State and Territory.
Labor also announced an expansion of the eligibility criteria for the First Home Guarantee, the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, and the Family Home Guarantee which help those otherwise able to own a home but are challenged by the size of a deposit needed.
*SuperRatings Sustainable Survey fee comparison, as at 31 December 2021. Fees are for a $50,000 member account balance including fees (fixed dollar, percentage-based administration, investment) & Indirect Cost Ratios. Comparison based on sustainable balanced options from funds’ publicly available from the Product Disclosure Statements (PDSs). SuperRatings does not issue, sell, guarantee or underwrite this product. See superratings.com.au for ratings criteria & for the variables excluded from the comparison. In deciding how to invest super, ratings is just one consideration point. Being mostly growth assets, this option may have a greater risk. Information prepared without considering your circumstances. Before taking any action, consider its appropriateness and the relevant PDS at rest.com.au.
With fees up to 39% lower than the ethical super average*
To claim a deduction for work-related expenses:
l you must have spent the money yourself and weren’t reimbursed l it must directly relate to earning your income l you must have a record to prove it.*
You can only claim the work-related portion of an expense. You can’t claim a deduction for any part of an expense that does not directly relate to earning your income.
* You can use the myDeductions tool in the ATO app to keep track of your expenses and receipts throughout the year. Go to ato.gov.au and type ‘myDeductions’ into the search field, or click here, or scan this QR code
With a few exceptions, clothing can’t be deducted as a work-related expense.
You can’t claim the cost to buy, hire, repair or clean conventional clothing you wear for work, even if your employer requires you to wear it and you only wear these items of clothing at work.
‘Conventional clothing’ is everyday clothing worn by people. For example, business attire or clothing sold in the retail store you work.
You can claim the cost to buy, hire, repair or clean clothing if it is:
l a compulsory uniform – clothing you are explicitly required to wear by a workplace agreement or policy, which is strictly and consistently enforced, and is sufficiently distinctive to your organisation. For example, an embroidered shirt with your employer’s logo that is compulsory for you to wear at work.
l non-compulsory uniforms that are registered with AusIndustry (check with your employer if you’re not sure).
You can’t claim a deduction if your employer pays for or reimburses you for these expenses.
If you need any assistance completing and lodging your tax return and your income is around $60,000 or less, you may be eligible for the ATO’s free Tax Help program (just go to ato.gov.au and type ‘tax help program’ into the search field, or click here, or scan this QR code). Eligibility conditions apply.
You can’t claim the cost of trips between home and work, even if you live a long way from your usual workplace, work outside normal business hours or work split shifts – for example, weekend or early morning shifts.
You can’t claim a deduction for hairdressing, cosmetics, hair and skin care products, even if your employer requires you to use them and you work in a store that sells them.
You can claim the cost of using a car you own when you drive:
l same day – for example, from your retail job to your second job as a waiter.
l to and from an alternate workplace for the same employer on the same day – for example, between separate retail stores for the same employer.
consistently enforced, and is sufficiently distinctive to your organisation. For example, an embroidered shirt with your employer's logo that is compulsory for you to wear at work • non compulsory uniforms that are registered with AusIndustry (check with your employer if you’re not sure).
If you claim car expenses, you can use the logbook method or the cents per kilometre method to calculate your deduction.
You can’t claim a deduction if your employer pays for or reimburses you for these expenses.
If you use the logbook method, you need to keep a valid logbook to work out the percentage of workrelated use along with written evidence of your car expenses.
You can’t claim the cost of food, drink or snacks you consume during your normal working hours, even if you receive an allowance. These are private expenses.
You can claim the work related part of other expenses that relate to your employment, including:
If you receive an overtime meal allowance under an industrial law, award or agreement and it’s included in your assessable income, you can claim the cost of the meal that you buy and eat when you work overtime.
• union and professional association fees
• personal protective equipment you buy, such as gloves, face masks, sanitiser or anti bacterial spray, given that your job requires you to be in close proximity with customers.
You can’t claim:
• costs met or reimbursed by your employer
You can claim self education and study expenses if your course relates directly to your current job – for example, a customer service course.
You can claim the work-related part of other expenses that relate to your employment, including:
l union and professional association fees.
• phone and internet use where your only work related use is to communicate with your manager about your work shifts, or to check payslips or payment summaries
If you use the cents per kilometre method, you need to be able to show how you calculated your work-related kilometres and be able to show that those kilometres were work related.
You can’t claim a deduction if your study is only related in a general way or is designed to help get you a new job – for example, a health and wellbeing course.
l personal protective equipment you buy, such as gloves, face masks, sanitiser or anti-bacterial spray, given that your job requires you to be in close proximity with customers.
• parking at your normal place of work, or public transport, taxi or ride share expenses from home to work, even if you work split shifts or unusual hours
If you claim your work-related car expenses using one of the above methods, you can’t claim any further deductions in the same tax return for the same car. For example, petrol, servicing, and insurance costs.
You can’t claim:
• flu shots and other vaccinations, even if you’re required to have them for work.
You can’t claim a deduction for hairdressing, cosmetics, hair and skin care products, even if your employer requires you to use them and you work in a store that sells them.
You can claim self-education and study expenses if your course relates directly to your current job – for example, a customer service course. You can’t claim a deduction if your study is only related in a general way or is designed to help get you a new job – for example, a health and wellbeing course.
l costs met or reimbursed by your employer.
You can’t claim a deduction if the cost was met or reimbursed by your employer.
l phone and internet use where your only work-related use is to communicate with your manager about your work shifts, or to check pay slips or payment summaries.
You can’t claim the cost of food, drink or snacks you consume during your normal working hours, even if you receive an allowance. These are private expenses.
l parking at your normal place of work, or public transport, taxi or ride-share expenses from home to work, even if you work split shifts or unusual hours.
If you receive an overtime meal allowance under an industrial law, award or agreement and it’s included in your assessable income, you can claim the cost of the meal that you buy and eat when you work overtime.
l flu shots and other vaccinations, even if you’re required to have them for work.
You can’t claim a deduction if the cost was met or reimbursed by your employer.
More info: Go to ato.gov.au and type ‘retail industry workers’ into the search field, or click here, or scan this QR code).
This is a general summary only. For more information, go to ato.gov.au/retail or speak to a registered tax professional.
tfe hotels, headquartered in Australia, currently comprises 70 hotels in Australia and New Zealand under seven brands. And now, SDA members can receive special prices when booking at tfe hotels in Australia or New Zealand, including A by Adina, Adina hotels, Vibe hotels, Quincy, travelodge hotels, rendezvous, and Collection by tfe hotels (the Calile, the Savoy, and hotel Kurrajong).
to receive your 15% discount on the best available room rates, simply key TH62005 into the promo code field on the tfe hotels website – just click here, or if you’re reading this as a printed copy, scan the Qr code or go to tfehotels.com/en/
As an SDA member, you’ll get an additional benefit of 10% off Europcar’s best rate of the day. Wherever you are, whatever your rental needs, Europcar can provide a solution for you. They have over 120 locations and one of the largest and most diverse fleets in Australia. To book the SDA member rate, quote promotional code 47699503. For reservations:
n go to europcar.com.au/partners/sda or
n phone 1300 555 242 or
n simply scan the QR code shown here
*Terms and conditions apply.
As an employee, your work-related legal entitlements are set out in various Awards, Agreements and Acts of Parliament. These entitlements may include sick leave, penalty rates, wages, rosters, overtime, allowances, health and safety standards and annual leave.
The SDA’s experts can advise you of your entitlements and, if necessary, obtain them from your employer.
Disputes with your employer need not cost you your job. If you have been unfairly treated, make sure you call the SDA to find out what your options are.
As a member of the SDA, it will cost you nothing.
every
The SDA website offers a lot more than information about your industrial rights.
Log onto sdan.org.au from your desktop, laptop or mobile device to get access to information about great discounts, offers and campaigns, as well as your rights, entitlements and obligations, plus much more!
Just one more reason to be part of your Union – the SDA!
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Learning to drive can be daunting. You have to gain 120 logbook hours, master all the skills and pass the driving test. With Trent Driving School, getting your freedom is easy. Learn with Trent and you will:
4 Pass first go
4 Park like a pro
4 Get bonus logbook hours
4 Learn in the best cars
Make sure you book the Safer Drivers Course with Trent Driving School to get your 20 bonus logbook hours.
Exclusive offer for SDA members
Book with Trent and receive a 10% discount on any full priced lesson.* Just use coupon code SDATrent when booking.
At Workers Health Centre, we understand that recovering from injury is a stressful time and we are here to help.
