Since returning from holidays in late January, I have met thousands of members at training courses, members’ meetings, EBA report back meetings and ‘out and about’ in different workplaces.

I have been overwhelmed by the support the SDA continues to receive for the great work that is being done on behalf of the members by the SDA staff. There is no doubt that the retail industry is currently experiencing some challenging times and members continually spoke to me about how comforted they feel knowing they are under the protection of the SDA umbrella.

One member spoke to me about how she and her husband insure their health, insure their home and contents, insure their car and they insure their job by belonging to the SDA. SDA membership gives them peace of mind and they can rest easy knowing that the SDA is with them if things go ‘pear-shaped’ at work.

I have the utmost respect for our hundreds of SDA Shop Stewards and Delegates. All of them are volunteers and they take on the responsibility with passion and gusto. They assist members on a daily basis, attend meetings, assist in the ‘rolling out’ of Enterprise Agreements, recruit new members and are a wonderful source of knowledge and information for their fellow SDA members. On several occasions, members spoke to me about how glad they are being represented by their current Shop Steward or Delegate. I was excited to hear these positive comments about our representatives in the stores and DCs and it just reaffirmed in my mind that our Shop Stewards and Delegates are the backbone of the SDA.

I look forward to meeting many more members, Shop Stewards and Delegates in the coming months.

By Justin Power, SDA Assistant Secretary