The SDA automatically covers eligible members free of charge world-wide for insurance cover against death or serious injury up to the value of $40,000.

Most people would like to protect their families by taking out insurance cover against accidental death or serious injury but cannot afford the premiums – about $260.00 per year.

Your Union automatically covers you FREE of charge worldwide when you are a member of the SDA, for amounts up to $12,000 without dependants and up to $40,000 in the case of members with dependants.

All financial members of the Union are covered by the policy provided they have worked in the Industry within 30 days before the accident.

The insurance policy covers members outside working hours for death, total incapacity to work or loss of limbs, sight or hearing by violent, externally visible means.

(Call our office for full details and a brochure can be mailed to your home address)

The SDA provides a legal service to all members that includes domestic enquiries as well as industrial matters.

- any industrial matter requiring legal representation will be funded 100% by the Union;

- the Union also provides assistance with domestic legal matters.

Your first consultation is FREE but you must call the SDA Office for your referral.

If you have problems with …

- neighbours
- motor accidents
- any general questions etc

the Union’s solicitors will help you.

Making a Will or Power of Attorney:

If you have not yet made your will, now is your chance to do so FREE of charge.

The Union’s solicitor has agreed to write a member’s will as a first consultation.

Those members who have signed Enduring Powers of Attorney or have never considered signing one should contact the Union for referral to our solicitor for advice.

For all legal problems, call the SDA office for an appointment.

Education can be a heavy cost to the family. The SDA has set aside $321,000 in 2010 to fund these education “scholarships”.

The SDA assists members of the Union through an Awards Scheme.

Ballots will be conducted to allocate 1,200 High School Awards of $80.00 each, and 1,500 Tertiary Awards of $150.00 in 2010.

Application forms are printed in our magazines published in the latter part of the year, for both high school and tertiary ballots. Applicants for the awards can be the individual member or alternatively the member’s son or daughter.

Considering the growing cost of education, this assistance is more important than ever. Your chance of gaining an Award is great – no work, just enter and you could win.

Money is made available to the next of kin of those members who lose their life through either accidental or natural causes.

The money paid from the Union’s Mortality Fund is made available to assist with funeral arrangements that can be very costly.

The amount contributed to the member’s next-of-kin is based on the number of hours the member worked each week prior to their death:

- 20 hours or more per week – $2000
- 10-19 hours per week – $1800
- less than 10 hours per week – $1600

Although this money will never compensate for the loss of a loved one, it does help make things easier for the family at this very difficult time.

Providing members with information regarding the work entitlements is a very important SDA service.

Members regularly contact the SDA to find out details relating to their wages and working conditions. Providing members with this information is a very important SDA service.

Information Officers – Ken Addison, Diane Kirk and Lynne Nunan provide expert advice on a range of issues. Whether it is a question about your hourly rate of pay, or advice on dealing with your manager, Ken and Lynne will assist you.

They help hundreds of members each week with details about entitlements.

Contact them by calling the Brisbane office on (07) 3832 3303 or 1800 657 141. OR, email the SDA at secretary@sdaq.asn.au.

All calls are taken in the strictest of confidence.

One of the most important issues for members is their need to work in an environment that is both safe and healthy.

As workers, we all have rights. We have the right to a just and fair wage and we also have a fundamental right to a safe and healthy workplace.

Occupational Health and Safety Laws seem to change all the time. Keeping up with these changes is in itself a full-time job. If you want advice on Health and Safety give Graham Walker a call at our office on (07) 3832 33030 (local) or 1800 657 141 (regional).

WH&S Training:

The SDA conducts training courses on Health and Safety for Workplace Health and Safety Representatives. The course dissects Health and Safety Laws, explains the rights of employees and their representatives and looks at workable solutions to Health and Safety problems in the workplace.

SDA members can feel secure in the knowledge that they can access free professional advice on WorkCover issues.

Unfortunately, workers get injured. The question is: “What do I do now?” For some workers the process is not difficult – for many others it becomes a minefield.

One of the many benefits of SDA membership is access to free assistance and legal advice in relation to problems that workers may face as a result of being injured at work.

The SDA has retained the firm – Industrial & WorkCover Services to manage this sector of industrial assistance. To speak to their office, you simply call the SDA on 3832 3303 (local or 1800 657 141 (regional). Our Service Officer will provide advice and assistance on WorkCover issues.

The Union continues to help financial members to obtain justice by funding their legal representation.

The SDA has been in partnership with AFS International Exchanges since 1994 and in this time has sponsored more than ten students to take up the challenge to live and study overseas for one year.

Every two years, the SDA, in association with AFS International Exchanges, provides funding for a student to receive a fully paid overseas scholarship. The winner will experience a new way of life, join a host family and go to school in a different country.

Who is eligible?

Any SDA member or child of a member who is attending secondary school and is in year 9, 10, 11 or 12 at time of application. The student must meet the AFS application guidelines.

The scholarship will be entirely funded by the SDA and will cover:

- Return travel from the student’s home right to the door of their host family;

- Orientation and enrichment activities during the stay; and

- Medical costs incurred during the visit (except for pre-existing conditions, dental and eye care).

AFS’s role

AFS has total responsibility for the selection of the SDA/AFS scholarship recipients. AFS will match the student carefully with their host family, arrange school placement and assist the student in selecting appropriate courses of study.

Local AFS volunteer committees and national office professional staff will monitor the student’s experiences and provide any necessary support and counselling.

How do I apply?

The request for an application is published in the SDA News newsletter mailed to all financial members.

Keeping workers up to date with the latest Industrial Laws and Workplace Agreements is one of the main ways we keep in contact with our members.

Workplace Union Representatives known as Shop Stewards or Delegates perform an invaluable role in linking the members with the Union Organisation and in talking and negotiating with management on behalf of members.

SDA Shop Stewards or Delegates receive quality training from Justin Power to assist them in their role. Topics covered are Agreement/Award knowledge, Superannuation, Workers’ Compensation, Workplace Health & Safety, Equity, Entitlements, Problem Solving and Negotiation.

Would you like to be a Shop Steward or Delegate?

Unfortunately, there are stores that don’t have a Shop Steward or Delegate or not enough to cover the workplace effectively. The Shop Steward or Delegate’s role is very important so if your workplace is without one then talk amongst your workmates about electing one. Remember your training is provided during paid working time and all out-of-pocket expenses are paid for by the SDA.

Since early 1989, eligible retail workers have been receiving the benefit of Superannuation. This was a hard fought for benefit secured by the Union movement.

The current amount payable by your employer is 9%. Occupational Superannuation is paid in addition to your weekly wage and is a percentage of your ordinary time earnings.

Under most Enterprise Agreements negotiated by the SDA, employers are required to place member’s funds into the Retail Employees Superannuation Trust (REST).

REST, has grown to over $20 billion in assets in the latest financial year (2010/11). In the audited financial accounts of the fund to 30th June, 2007, the net market value of assets available to pay retirement benefits to members reached just over $14 billion.

With over 1.7 million members in the scheme, REST is the largest super fund in Australia by membership and one of the biggest in terms of assets.

Because the subject of superannuation and personal insurance has become more complicated. Staff Admin and Superannuation Officer, Bob Stockwell can assist members to ensure that they are receiving your full entitlement. You can contact Bob on 3832 3303 (local) or 1800 657 141 (regional). OR, send your email to – secretary@sdaq.asn.au.

Confidential help when you need it.

The SDA offer a private counselling service through Converge International. The counselling service is a personal welfare service providing:

- Preventative Counselling, which seeks to help people overcome their problems and cope with life through discovery of their own resources.

- Crisis Counselling, available 24 hours a day seven days a week.

- Personal Contact, to help on a person-to-person basis.

- Confidentiality for all consultations which are private.

- Referral Networks, to ensure that people receive access to specialist skills where necessary.

ITIM has been providing counselling services to Queensland workplaces for more than thirty years. Its professional staff are available to help any SDA member who needs support or assistance.

How to make contact:

One of the features of the service is that the counsellors are easily accessible to every member of the SDA. You can contact the counsellors through the union office during business hours on 3832 3303 (local) or 1800 657 141 (regional) or you can use the twenty-four hour toll-free 1800 337 068 outside business hours.

Tell the operator you wish to speak with a counsellor and leave your name, SDA membership number, and your telephone number (work or home). They will ring back as soon as possible.

All financial members each receive a Benefits Handbook with their membership card at time of joining.

The booklet is issued each year free of charge to financial members. The book details the full range of benefits and services available to you.

The book explains how to use your membership card to receive all types of savings including:

- Union Shopper Services
- Discounts at all major Theme Parks
- Discount Movie and Theatre Tickets
- Discount Travel Service
- Discount vouchers for Restaurants, Cafes and Take-away Dining
- Discount Motor Vehicle Hire and Servicing
- Discount for Accommodation and Holiday Services

The SDA runs frequent competitions for members in our regular publications.

When you read through our free publications that are mailed to all members at their home address, you will see all sorts of different competitions.

Some of the competitions include:

- Interstate and local holidays
- Free entry tickets to theme parks
- Double football passes to watch the Broncos, Titans, Lions, Gold Coast Suns and Reds play.

Remember, you have to be in it to win it!

The SDA understands that caring for an elderly family member can be difficult, especially when you are working for an employer as well.

The SDA has developed a kit that helps our members and their families deal with they day to day issues of caring for an elderly family member.

It discusses many of the issues that members may have to deal with and points members in the right direction for further information and help.

All financial members are issued with a personalised SDA membership card when they first join.

The SDA membership card is renewed annually.  In addition to identifying you as an SDA member, the card can be used in conjunction with the many benefits and services detailed in your Benefits Booklet.  Your membership card will save you money, so keep it in a safe place.  (Call our office if your card is lost or damaged. A new card will be posted to you).