The SDA’s iPad competition proved to be very popular with members across the State.  We received just under 1600 on-line entries.  Unfortunately we could only have one winner and we are pleased to announce that the Apple 16Gb iPad prize went to:

Mr Nick Uhlott from Bollier (via Gympie).  Nick who is 20 year’s old, works at the local Gympie McDonalds store.

Congratulations Nick – your will be the envy of all of your friends.

Following further negotiations between Wattyl and the SDA, a proposed Enterprise Agreement has been finalised and will be put to the employees for their consideration over the coming weeks.

The earlier proposal put to employees in July was not endorsed by the union and was voted down by a majority of employees.

Australia Zoo Adventure Pass – Buy a day, get 2010 FREE!

Crikey!  To coincide with their 40th birthday – when you visit Australia Zoo in August you will receive unlimited entry until the end of 2010. What a ripper!

An Australia Zoo Adventure Pass is your ticket to jaw-dropping animal action, ripper monthly events and non-stop entertainment and fun.

So what are you waiting for? Come along and party with us everyday!

Simply ask for your Adventure Pass when you visit Australia Zoo this August or buy online now.

Both the Union and the company have exchanged their respective ‘log of claims’. A meeting was held inMelbourne on Wednesday, August 4 and a further meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 11 in Melbourne.

Negotiations between the parties are at a very early stage and members will be futher advised during the course of the negotiations.

Tony Abbott must tell us his plans for Australian workplaces.

The Coalition, led by Tony Abbott, has failed to release an industrial relations policy halfway into the election campaign and not surprisingly, is a re-run of the deception of the Howard Government over WorkChoices.

For the three years Tony Abbott was the Workplace Relations Minister in the Howard Government, he systematically cut unfair dismissal protection, forced workers on to individual work contracts and opposed increases to minimum wages. More than that, Tony Abbott laid the foundations and was a principle architect of WorkChoices.

As we enter the fourth week of the campaign, we still have not heard anything of substance from Tony Abbott other than a series of glib slogans and contradictory statements. 

SDA members deserve more!

It is an appalling abuse of the Australian public’s right to know who and what they are voting for that Mr Abbott still hasn’t released a detailed industrial relations policy.

SDA members remember that WorkChoices was brought in without public scrutiny or approval by a Liberal Government of which Mr Abbott was a senior member.

SDA members must know the truth about his plans on such issues as unfair dismissal, wages policy, minimum employment standards, occupational health and safety and individual work contracts.

Tell us today Tony and please, please tell us the truth!

August Pay Rises

Members employed by the following companies will receive a pay rise during August:

• Big W Retail
• Coles/Bi Lo/Pick’n’Pay Supermarkets
• Just Jeans Group
• Target
• Target Country
• Woolworths Supermarkets
• Coles DC
• Kmart DC
• The Reject Shop

These pay rises will apply from the first full pay period on or after the nominated date in the Enterprise Agreement. Members would have received detailed information on their pay rise either through the mail or in bulletins which were distributed on site.

The National Retailers Association and the Master Grocers Association applied to Fair Work Australia to vary the Modern Retail Award to introduce a two-hour minimum for casual employees, with the NRA also seeking changes to allow employers to give high school age students one-and-a-half hour shifts between 3.30pm and 6pm.

The SDA vigorously fought this application because our members continually tell us they want more meaningful work rather than less. Most members have to travel to work via the car, public transport or by family or friends. This involves a substantial cost, effort and time and should never be undervalued by retailers.

DECISION

• FWA refused to vary the retail modern award to cut casuals’ minimum shift lengths from three to two hours.
• Amongst other comments, FWA’s Vice President Watson said the full bench’s decision to adopt the three-hour minimum in the modern award reflected the majority or “critical mass” of the pre-existing minimum hours arrangements.
• “For example, a general reduction in the minimum engagement period could mean that many casual employees are engaged for shorter periods and consequently receive less pay for each engagement even though the travel costs of attending work are unchanged,” he said.

After the rejection of the applications and the retention of the 3 hours minimum, Chris Ketter said, “this result is a big win for the Union and the members. This shows the real value of union membership”.

CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR TRADING HOURS CASE …  Closure on 26 December and 1 January

• The Union has lodged an application in the Qld Industrial Relations Commission seeking that non-exempt shops be prevented from trading on Boxing Day 2010 (Sunday, December 26, 2010) and New Year’s Day (Saturday, January 1, 2011).  The application has been made to provide shop assistants with the opportunity to have some time off after the hectic pre-Christmas period and before the post-Christmas sales.  On the last occasion that Boxing Day fell on a Sunday (2004), the state government legislated to close shops in all areas of the state except tourist areas.  The application will be heard by the QIRC later this year.  (View the FULL SIZE NEWS CLIPPING here).

• Secretary Chris Ketter asks you to take a few minutes to complete and return the attached EVIDENCE SURVEY FORM.  Your comments will be presented to the QIRC as evidence to support the SDA’s application.

SUNDAY TRADING IN TOOWOOMBA

• The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission allowed Sunday trading to commence in Toowoomba on May 16, 2010.
• The Commission gave this ruling after the retailers agreed that their employees employed at that time had the right to volunteer or not volunteer to work on Sundays.  Furthermore the retailers stated that no adverse action would be taken against any employee who chose not to work on Sundays. 
• Click on the link below to view the original alert letter sent to all Toowoomba members on 10 March 2010.

TOOWOOMBA SUNDAY TRADING ALERT

COLES SHOP STEWARDS LOG OF CLAIMS MEETING

• Close to 100 Coles Shop Stewards attended a meeting in Brisbane on June 30 to discuss the forthcoming Enterprise Agreement negotiations between the SDA and the company. The current Enterprise Agreement nominally expires on February 28, 2011 and formal negotiations will commence in the coming weeks.
• SDA members were recently surveyed on a range of important issues and the response was and continues to be overwhelming. Members have highlighted some very important issues which concern them and were more than happy to fill in the surveys.
• Shop Stewards spoke on a range of issues at the meeting and the meeting itself finalised the Queensland Branch’s Log of Claims (LOG). Similar meetings are being held in other SDA Branches throughout Australia.
• At the conclusion of those gatherings, a meeting of the Branches will be held to compile the National LOG.  Shortly thereafter the national LOG will be presented to the company and negotiations will commence.
• Members will be advised of the progress of the negotiations.