Annual Leave entitlements haven’t increased since the 1970s – it’s time to change that.

The SDA is currently negotiating new Enterprise Agreements with many employers.

So far in 2023, we’ve won 5 weeks annual leave in new EBAs with IKEA, Bunnings and Apple – and we’ve made it clear that other major employers need to do the same.

Why is this important?

Annual leave is an important union-won entitlement, it was won to ensure you can maintain a healthy work/life balance and take time off when needed.

Retail working hours and work expectations have changed significantly in the past decade.

But annual leave entitlements haven’t kept up, with the minimum standard not increasing nationally since unions won 4 weeks as the standard in the 1970s.

We know that time off from work is important. Over the past 15 years, all the productivity gains have gone to profits, it’s about time we got something back.

Whether it’s for caring responsibilities, study or just to take time off – it’s time for this to reflect workers’ needs and that means receiving 5 weeks of annual leave each year.

As part of negotiations for many new Enterprise Agreements, we’re calling for annual leave entitlements to increase from 4 weeks to 5 weeks per year.

But to do this, we need your support.

One of the first steps you can take is signing our petition by going to https://national.sda.com.au/5-weeks-leave/. You can also share your story about what 5 weeks annual leave will mean for you.

If you have any questions about this campaign or any questions about your rights at work, don’t hesitate to get in touch.