WANT TO STAY UPDATED ON THE LATEST? LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @ChrisGazenbeekSDA SDA NEWS The SDA News is edited by State Secretary, Chris Gazenbeek Australia Post Print Post Publication No. PP 100007931 In this issue READ MORE ON PAGE 6 ENTER ON PAGE 8READ MORE ON PAGE 6 SHOP DISTRIBUTIVE & ALLIED EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (QUEENSLAND BRANCH) SEPTEMBER 2022 | ISSUE 4 LAST CHANCE SCHOLARSHIPS!FORNEWCFCROCHEDALEOPENS WAREHOUSE NEWS
When you think of your union, what do you imagine? The organisation who negotiates your Agreement? Your area organiser who helped you work out a better roster with your manager? The Shop Steward who attended a meeting with you?
The SDA and the greater union movement works tirelessly every single day to improve the wages and working conditions of Australian workers.
In May 2022, after further campaigning from the union movement, the Fair Work Commission issued an in-principle agreement to include paid family domestic violence in modern awards. This means nearly three million workers will soon have access to paid domestic violence leave if they need to flee domestic violence.
Chris SecretaryGazenbeek,
The Commission accepted the evidence that the provision of paid leave would assist employees experiencing Family and Domestic Violence and would reduce the financial impact of the consequences of Whileviolence.fivedays unpaid leave was an improvement, the change did not address the financial impact of domestic violence. Fleeing domestic violence costs an individual, on average, $18,000, so the SDA and Australian Unions called for the issue to be revisited urgently.
Ten days paid leave will ensure workers have the financial and job security to: ⢠find a new place to live; ⢠pack belongings and relocate; ⢠attend court hearings; and ⢠make new arrangements.childcare
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Finally, after a Labor Party victory in the May election, the newly elected Albanese Government made a commitment to ensure paid Family and Domestic Violence leave was a priority in new legislation.
Well the SDA does all that - and much more. There are many larger industrial issues which need to be tackled at a higher level to ensure all Australians benefit from the improvements to their employment. One example of this is the campaign for paid Family and Domestic Violence leave to be inserted into the NES (National Employment Standards) so it is a minimum benefit for all Ensuringemployees.allworkers have access to paid leave is crucial to limiting the impact domestic violence has on Australiansâ livelihoods. With one woman being murdered by a partner or family member each week and coercive control impacting men and women, much more must be done to prevent domestic Escapingviolence.
domestic violence isnât simple. It takes time, money, support and resources to leave.
Albanese Government commits to making Domestic Violence leave a right for all workers
In June, new Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Tony Burke announced that 10 days Family and Domestic Violence leave would be included in the National Employment Standards (NES). This inclusion means a further 8.4 million workers will have access to the provision and it will be a fundamental workplace right just like personal or annual leave.
Support is available If youâre being impacted by domestic violence, support is available. For confidential advice, counselling and support services, we encourage you to contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
This is a great win for the union movement and is just one example of the unseen work by the SDA on behalf of members. Huge outcomes like this can take many years to achieve - we did not achieve wins like the 38 hour week, annual leave or parental leave overnight either. But the SDA and the union movement will continue to work towards defending and improving the working conditions of members for a long time to come.
While many SDA Negotiated Agreements include provisions for paid Family and Domestic Violence leave, such as: Woolworths, Big W, Kmart, Coles and Officeworks, only a third of employers in Australia provide paid domestic violence leave through their Agreements or Individual Flexibility Arrangements. This is an issue that needs to be dealt with in the Fair Work Act if it was going to apply to a majority of Australian Theworkers.campaign for Family and Domestic Violence leave began in 2014, after the ACTU (Australian Council of Trade Unions) made application to the Fair Work Commission to vary all modern awards to include an entitlement for 10 days per year of paid family and domestic leave. In 2018, the Fair Work Commission decided it was necessary to vary all modern awards to include a new entitlement to 5 five days unpaid Family and Domestic Violence leave.
⢠Leave the phone at home! Unless your position requires you to be always contactable, and compensates you for this â you can leave the phone at home or just not answer the call. You cannot be punished for not answering a phone call on your day off. SDAâs policy on unpaid work Our policy is very simpleDONâT DO IT. All work must be paid for whether it is in the workplace or remotely, including online training. The SDA is here to help. One of the advantages of being an SDA member is an individual member can always ask for reinforcements. SDA Shop Stewards, Information Officers and Organisers are here to assist you with any SDA Assistant Secretary. FAMILY FUNbelowcode below or go go to www.sdaq.asn.au Competition closes 30/9/22 and drawn by 3/10/22 You must be a current member of SDA The details you enter may used to details on SDA's Prize There
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⢠Remind your manager that all time worked should be paid and this includes work youâre asked to do while youâre not âat workâ. Compensation could include being paid overtime, or being allowed to take TOIL (paid time off in lieu). This is likely to be a deterrent against receiving unnecessary calls, and when you do choose to work, you are compensated for the time.
not redeemable for cash and will be provided as a pre paid Woolworths or Coles gift card
ACHIEVING WORK/LIFE BALANCE
One of the most common complaints I hear from members is that they struggle to achieve a good work-life balance. This is not surprising, as most people now carry a mobile phone with them everywhere â itâs just so easy to give another staff member a âquick callâ on their day off to ask them a question, get them to complete a task remotely or even to come into work with little notice. This is not okay! You deserve your time away from work to rest and relax. Being constantly interrupted is bad for your mental health. If this is a common occurrence for you, it may be time to set some boundaries. These boundaries can vary depending on your position, but some ways to address this could be:
thanks to the tSDA! hree $100 grocery vouchers thanks to the SDA! To win, scan the QR code
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⢠Discuss with your work mates under what circumstances you would be happy to take an urgent
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⢠Communicate with your colleagues to let them know about any notable changes, what you have completed and orquickdoneneedswhattobestill.Anotefiveminute chat at the end of the day could make the difference between a hectic and peaceful day off.
WIN WIN GROCERY GROCERY VOUCHERS VOUCHERS ONE OOF NE OF THREE THREE SDA MEMBER SEXCLUSIVE DA EXCLUSIVE SDA members have the chance to win one Sof DA members have the chance to win one of three $100 grocery vouchers
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If youâre not sure if youâre being paid correctly, or have a question about your pay slip â itâs important to speak up. Underpayments can occur easily, and even small errors can add up over time.
Being Underpaid? Speak up.
A short while ago I was happy to be able to assist a young member who had recently started working in fast food. A few weeks after starting work, she noticed she had not been getting paid correctly for all her shifts. She soon realised that the fingerprint scanner did not always work correctly and reported it to management. She believed that manual adjustments were being made to her shifts when the fingerprint scanner wasnât working âbut they werenât, resulting in her being underpaid for several shifts. She contacted management to correct the underpayments and explain the situation but it was not getting resolved in a timely manner. Luckily, she was a member of the SDA and I was able to assist her by raising the matter to HR for an audit of her shifts worked and shifts
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Thepaid.audit uncovered that she was owed approximately $930 in unpaid wages that had accumulated over six weeks. This was quickly actioned as a back Thepayment.SDAalso ensured that an alternative way for all staff to clock on/off was put in place as the fingerprint scanner was not reliable and we do not want the issue to reoccur.
If you have questions or need help pursuing a potential underpayment, contact the SDA for professional advice. By Stephanie Purton, SDA Industrial Officer.
If your workplace is identifiable, users may believe you are speaking as a representative of the company, and if you defame the company, staff or customers â you could get in hot water. Our recommendations: ⢠Donât list your workplace in your profile; ⢠Keep your profile on private if possible; ⢠If youâre connected to your colleagues, donât post anything about work; ⢠Donât wear your uniform, badge or any other identifiers in pictures or video; ⢠Donât say ifwayworkplacenotimportantyouwork.communicationaschatsencourageYourthehavewithsuggeststrictersomeThisclientsworkplace,defamatoryanythingaboutyourcolleagues,orcustomers.listisnotdefinitive,andworkplaceshaveanevensocialmediapolicy.Iyoufamiliariseyourselfanypolicy,andifyouanyquestions,contactSDAforclarification.workplacemayalsoyoutojoinorgroupsonlineamanagementandtoolforWhileitisuptoyouifchoosetojointhem,itâstonotetheyarecompulsoryandyourmustfindanothertocommunicatewithyounecessary.
By Daniel Ferguson, SDA Digital Organiser.
Social media is a part of life for most people. 37% of all people on earth use Facebook daily. There were 10.45 million Australian Instagram users in July and short form video platform TikTok has experienced explosive growth and was the most downloaded app in 2021 with over a billion videos consumed by users every day. Whatever platform you use to connect with people, you need to be cautious when it comes to mixing social media and Whilework. adding your colleagues on social media can be a great way to improve relationships and get to know people â it also means that everything on your feed is on show, including anything you might say about work. You should be prepared that some of this content may be seen by others in your workplace, including your Itâsmanager.notan uncommon story from popular social media personalities who have been given a warning, or even fired over their social media presence. Itâs especially dangerous if youâre telling stories about your workplace, or other users can identify where you work e.g., you make a post when youâre wearing your uniform.
Change of Address
MEMBERS
SAY I would like to thank the SDA for all their help over the last 38 years, 10 with Sussan and 28.6 years with Bi-Lo and Coles, 28 years as an SDA Shop Steward.
â
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Valmai celebrates her retirement with flowers and chocolate
Over the years we had many good managers and luckily only a few bad ones which we had to deal with. One especially was a bad bully and the SDA stepped in and this manager was fired and our membership jumped to 98% for the store. It does show how much the union is Thankneeded.you again, I am going to enjoy my retirement - Valmai.
Blood Donation centres always struggle to receive the donations they need and this has been an even bigger problem during the pandemic. 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. Thatâs why the SDA negotiates for Blood Donorâs Leave in enterprise agreements.
LEAVE
Blood Donorâs Leave
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: ENTITLEMENTS
BLOOD DONORâS LEAVE
Are you changing your address or other personal details? It is important you keep the SDA informed of your move, your change of phone number or even a new email address. Please send us an email to withinfo@sdaq.asn.auyournewdetails.
Many enterprise agreements that have been negotiated by the SDA include a relatively common provision known as Blood Donorâs Leave. The SDA has negotiated this provision with major companies like Coles and Woolworths supermarkets, Bunnings, Target, Kmart, Big W, BWS and Dan Murphyâs, 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 Employeesblood. can take up to a maximum of two hoursâ 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. For more information on donating blood, including frequently asked questions, or to make a booking go to lifeblood.com.au.
By Mili and Steve - SDA DC Organisers As the boom in online grocery shopping continues, Woolworths has recently opened its first Queensland âCustomer Fulfillment Centreâ (CFC) in Rochedale. The CFC is a purpose built 10,000-square metre warehouse where Woolworths personal shoppers pack online grocery orders - with no customers in sight. When completely operational, the site will employ 650 staff, with lots of new faces and many others coming from nearby Itstores.hasbeen great to be on-site as much as possible over the past few months to help new employees find their feet in their new job and weâve welcomed over 300 new SDA Themembers.siteis also fortunate to have three experienced SDA Shop Stewards on-site to assist members. They have been invaluable to me during the opening of this site and will continue to be as it grows.
Coles DC Forest Lake and Heathwood EBA negotiations are progressing while we advocate for members to receive a fair redundancy package, a decent pay rise and other protections as the site prepares to close in a few years.
WELCOME
By Naomi McQuire, SDA Organiser NEW MEMBERS AT WOOLWORTHS ROCHEDALE CUSTOMER FULFILMENT CENTRE
Itâs great news that despite previously announcing that the Big W DC in Warwick would close in early 2023, the company has now announced theyâve signed a lease for a further three years and removed the decision to close the site permanently. This will come as a huge relief to workers at this regional site and we look forward to continuing to assist members at Big W DC Warwick. Times are changing in the Warehouse Industry - but the SDA will always be here to help members through any challenge they face.
DC NEWS
page 6 As always, the SDA Warehouse Organising team has been hard at work for our DC members in the last few months.
Kmart DC is also in the early stages of negotiations for a new Agreement, with members recently completing a log of claims survey to tell us what theyâd like us to bargain for in negotiations. The results are no surprise: members want a decent pay rise, job security and improved rostering Thereconditions.hasalso been a new addition to the DC world with the opening of Primary Connect Chiller and Freezer DC at Heathwood. It has been great to be on-site connecting with new members and sorting out a few issues as the site gets established. This includes an issue where some team members were not getting paid the appropriate freezer allowance as per their EBA.
The SDA raised this issue with Primary Connect immediately, and the company committed to reviewing all hours worked as a matter of priority and ensuring all affected members received back pay. If any members continue to experience this underpayment, we encourage you to contact the SDA for assistance.
At the moment they are assisting by answering lots of questions from new employees and keeping the SDA notice board up to date and are here to be members first port of call with any issues. Shop Steward Trent, who transferred from Woolworths Acacia Ridge says: âMoving to the CFC has given me many great opportunities for growth and development, alongside a great team, with a great sense of communityâ - Trent Jo, also an SDA Shop Steward said: I applied for a position at Rochedale CFC as I wanted a change from being in a store after being with the company for 11 years. Itâs exciting to be a part of QLDâs first CFC. Itâs great to see a mixture of team members - some with previous retail experience, some transferring from a different industry looking for a change and others re-entering the workforce after a break. As always, if team members have any issues the SDA is here to help with professional advice and support.
While not ideal, this is a great way to ensure you can still enjoy a well deserved holiday when youâre feeling better.
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An example: Oliver, a Distribution Centre worker, finally got the opportunity to take two weeks leave. He was looking forward to a fishing trip he had planned, as well as spending some time with his family. But a few days later, as he prepared to go on his trip he started feeling unwell and took a RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) to ensure he didnât have COVID-19. Unfortunately his test came back positive, meaning that he would have to spend a week in isolation and miss his trip. He completed his isolation, and was only able to enjoy a few days of his leave before returning to work. On his return, the SDA site Delegate asked how he had enjoyed his Oliverleave. recounted how he had missed most of his holiday due to COVID-19, and the Delegate recommended he apply to get his annual leave credited and use sick leave for the week he was off sick. He helped Oliver complete the paperwork and submit the evidence (in this case, a picture of the RAT and the paperwork from the government when he registered his result). In the next pay cycle, his leave was credited appropriately, so he can now take it at a later date. A result that made him very happy!
Good News for Mylindah
LEAVE?
BY CHRIS GAZENBEEK, SDA SECRETARY
By Liz Berry, SDA Organiser
Youâve worked hard for months, and you finally get a chance to take some annual leave. Youâve planned catch ups with friends, fun day trips and adventures and some much needed âyou-timeâ. But oh no, on your second day of leave you get sick! Youâre definitely not alone. With the recent peak waves of COVID-19 occurring during winter, and a nasty flu season, more and more people are experiencing unfortunate circumstance of being sick just when theyâve managed to take a break. So what can you do?
After approaching the store with this request, they advised that they couldnât accommodate her request for the full-time hours she would need to make ends meet. She then turned to the SDA for help, and as the Area Organiser I was able to get involved and work closely with a representative from the company to find a full-time position at a nearby store. This is a great outcome for Mylindah and a reminder to all that the SDA is an invaluable resource for members and you should always get in touch with any issue you are experiencing at work. It really pays to have someone with years of experience on your team and Iâm glad in this instance I was able to help. Mylindah, I hope you enjoy your new position.
SICK ANNUALON
Several months ago I was able to assist an SDA member who wished to step down from a salaried manager role to a team member for personal reasons.
If youâre sick or injured while youâre on annual leave â and you can provide evidence to your employer, e.g., with a medical certificate, you can convert your annual leave into sick leave and recoup the hours of annual leave to take after youâve recovered. If you donât have enough sick leave, you can use what sick leave you donât have, and choose between continuing your annual leave or unpaid sick leave for the remaining hours. You should provide as much notice as possible to your employer and advise the expected period of leave. What if my employer doesnât allow this? Annual leave and sick leave entitlements are set out in the National Employment Standards (NES) and therefore most employers are required to allow you to swap your annual leave for sick leave if required and you can provide sufficient evidence. But if you run into trouble â the SDA is here to assist. Our helpful Organisers, Information Officers and Industrial Officers can help you sort this out to get your leave credited.
STUDENTS PLEASERELATIONSHIP:STUDENTSRELATIONSHIP:NAME:NAME:PROVIDEPROOF OF ENROLMENT WITH THIS APPLICATION. PROOF INCLUDES CONFIRMATION OF ENROLMENT PRINTOUT OR UNI/TAFE STAMP. A N E V E N I N G W I T H M I C H A E L B U B L Ă W I N 1 O F 3 D O U B L E P A S S E S T O S D A M e m b e r E x c l u s i v e T h e S D A h a s t h r e e p a s s e s t o s e e ' A n E v e n i n g w i t h M i c h a e l B u b l ĂŠ ' o n 1 7 D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 2 a t B r i s b a n e E n t e r t a i n m e n t C e n t r e . T o w i n , s i m p l y f i l l o u t t h e f o r m b e l o w o r s c a n t h e Q R c o d e t o e n t e r o n l i n e . Full name: SDA Member No: Payroll No: Email Address:Mobile:Address:Wheredoyouwork?Thankstohardwork by the SDA, Christmas Eve is a public holiday from 6pm. What will your plans be? Terms: Competition closes 25/11/22 and will be drawn by 28/11/22 You must be a current financial member of the SDA to win The details you enter may be used to update your details on the SDA s membership system Prize not redeemable for cash There are 3 double passes to be won SCAN TO ENTER ONLINE POST TO: THE SECRETARY, PO BOX 490, Spring Hill QLD 4004
