SDA Shop Stewards Meet – Coles Agree To Bargain For A New Agreement 

June 30, 2017 Coles News

The SDA has been calling on Coles to bargain for a new enterprise agreement (“EBA”) to replace the current Coles EBA. Last year SDA Shop Stewards, in meetings held across the country, called for Coles to start bargaining for a new EBA that ensures all employees are better off overall (“BOOT”) and keeps Coles good conditions.

The SDA recently met with Coles. As a result Coles have agreed to bargain for a new EBA. Last week Coles announced they would bargain. The SDA immediately called a Coles SDA Shop Stewards meeting which was held yesterday. Almost 100 SDA Shop Stewards attended the meeting. Shop Stewards at the meeting heard and discussed:

  • The benefits of the Coles EBA;
  • The background of the decision to overturn the 2014 Coles EBA, despite Coles having to pay millions of dollars more in wages, leave entitlements and superannuation to members under the Agreement compared to the Award;
  • The current EBA and the case being run by an employee to cancel it to go back to the Award;
  • The significant impact on members if we went from the EBA back to the retail Award. This would leave the vast majority of members worse off, some by thousands of dollars a year.

Shop Stewards agreed it was important to negotiate a new Coles EBA and that going back to the Award was not acceptable.

SDA Shop Stewards Agree to Bargain

Your SDA Shop Stewards want to secure a new EBA which ensures all employees are better off overall and in which no employees take home pay is reduced. Your SDA Shop Stewards want to secure a new EBA with improved penalty rates and the best possible conditions.

Your SDA Shop Stewards realise that a range of conditions in the Coles EBA, that are better than the Award, are at risk. These include better rostering rules, better public holiday pay, voluntary work on all public holidays, more public holidays, higher annual leave and leave loading payments, better superannuation outcomes, higher junior pay rates, better personal/sick leave and compassionate leave provisions.

Motion Unanimously Endorsed

Your SDA Shop Stewards want a new Coles EBA, with additional penalty rates and they want a new Coles EBA where all Coles employees are better off overall and which no employees take home pay is reduced.

The following motion was moved at the SDA meeting by Chris Gazenbeek, your SDA Secretary, and was unanimously endorsed by all Shop Stewards at the meeting:

This meeting of Coles SDA Shop Stewards endorses the SDA proceeding with negotiations to finalise a BOOT compliant EBA that protects the existing take home pay of employees in this transition to a new bargaining framework.

Similar meetings are being held by the SDA across Australia where the same motion has been strongly endorsed.

Bargaining Straight Away 

The Shop Stewards strong endorsement for the SDA to proceed with negotiations to secure a new BOOT compliant EBA that protects everyone’s take home pay will be the basis on which the SDA will bargain for a new EBA. It is the basis for securing members’ take home pay and conditions.

Shop Stewards directed us to get on with bargaining under these guidelines straight away.

We will meet with Coles representatives on Tuesday next week to progress bargaining for a new EBA.

I want to sincerely thank all Shop Stewards and members for your strong support.  I am confident, with the strong support of members and Shop Stewards, we will finalise a new Coles EBA that secures your future.

If you have any questions please ask your store Shop Stewards, SDA Organiser or call the SDA Office on 07 38339500 or 1300 657 141.