GIVE A SERVE NOW AND YOU’RE LIKELY TO SERVE… TIME!

In introducing the Bill, NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

That means pay rises for all SDA members.

BY BARBARA NEBART, BRANCH SECRETARY

The 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.

Change Work

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.

Why You Need The Sda

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)