The SDA has been fielding many calls from members regarding the ANZAC day public holiday. This year, the ANZAC day public holiday has been substituted to Monday 26 April – however due to the Queensland Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990, large non-exempt stores such as Coles are not permitted to trade on Sunday 25 April.

As a result, permanent team members who were scheduled to work on Sunday 25 April were going to be unable to do so as their stores will be closed.

Permanent team members were previously advised they would not be eligible for payment to not work on the day but could access their annual leave entitlements to take paid leave or elect to take unpaid leave if they chose. They could also choose to make up the hours at a later date.

However, after consultation with the SDA and consideration of the unique circumstances, Coles has now announced they will make a discretionary payment at the base rate to all Coles Supermarkets permanent team members for all hours ordinarily rostered to work on Sunday 25 April in Queensland.

Monday the 26 of April is the substituted public holiday and employees rostered to work on this day will receive their usual public holiday entitlements. Work on this day is voluntary. If you are a permanent team member ordinarily rostered to work, you can choose to have the day off and be paid your ordinary base rate of pay. If you elect to work, and are chosen to work you will receive public holiday penalty rates.

Finally, I have written to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Industrial Relations Minister for Queensland, Grace Grace, to request that an additional public holiday is declared for 25 April in the event of a substitution. This will ensure it is a level playing field across the industry where ANZAC day falls on a Sunday in the future.

We continue to engage with other companies to strongly urge them to apply the same position.

If you have any questions, please contact the SDA office on 07 3833 9500.