Every day, Diane and Veronica, the SDA’s Information Officers receive numerous phone calls and emails from our hard-working members. Below is a recent sample of several questions they have answered. They have also included some TRUE or FALSE statements concerning our casual members. Always remember that INFORMATION is POWER.

Q – I was recently called into the manager’s office for a ‘discussion’ where I felt very threatened and intimidated. What can I do if this ever happens again?

A – While employers may have legitimate reasons to interview an employee, the interview should be conducted in a non-threatening way. You should always exercise your right to a witness of your choice. Importantly, your witness has the legal right to ‘speak up’ at this meeting.

The union strongly advises you take your trained SDA Shop Steward or Delegate into the meeting. If there is no Shop Steward or Delegate on site, politely inform the manager that you will be more than happy to have a chat when the Shop Steward returns to the workplace tomorrow.

Q – I get paid fortnightly. Does this mean I must give two weeks notice of resignation?

A – Length of notice of resignation is determined according to your length of service, not on how often you are paid. Each Enterprise Agreement is different so it pays to check with your Shop Steward, Delegate or ring the union office to find out what your Agreement says on this matter. It’s very important to give the right amount of notice or some or all of your termination payment may be withheld.

Q- When I ring the SDA for anything, I am always asked to identify myself. Is that necessary?

A – Yes. The SDA always needs to identify you so we can then confirm you are a member. Your call is always confidential and any discussion you may have with our staff will remain private.