Coles 31/8/17
Go Back- 31st August 2017
Coles and the SDA have held meetings over the past two days as negotiations for a new Coles Supermarkets Agreement continues.
Throughout negotiations over the past 2 months there has been significant progress to secure a new agreement that delivers on the SDA objectives of improved penalty rates, protecting take-home pay, securing hard-won union conditions and ensuring wage increases for everyone.
This bargaining position was endorsed by recent meetings of SDA Delegates across Australia. You can see our log of claims here.
Bargaining has focused around moving to new agreement which is based on the General Retail Industry Award.
The SDA fought for and won fair penalty rates in the Retail Award in 2009. And a key objective of these negotiations has been for us to secure these rates in the new Coles Agreement.
Additionally, the SDA is currently at the Fair Work Commission arguing for Monday to Friday evening penalty rates to be paid to casuals and higher penalty rates for casuals working Saturdays. The SDA is wanting to ensure that should the SDA win our case that Coles casuals are able to secure these higher rates.
As we move to a new award based model the SDA is working to ensure that no staff go backwards in pay and that all staff receive wage increases.
We are working to secure above award provisions throughout the agreement, significant outcomes in bargaining so far have been:
- Securing above award part-time provisions
- Fair access to additional hours
- A new right for Coles part-time staff to increase core or contract hours to the average worked over a 12-month period- subject to business needs
- Improved tea breaks.
- The retention of a number of leave provisions.
The SDA continues to work hard to secure paid domestic violence leave.
Our meetings will continue in a fortnight.
Remember, no proposed Coles Agreement can be put in place without a vote of all employees. You will have the final say when it comes to any new Coles Agreement.
We will continue to update all members throughout negotiations.
SDA WA - The Union for Workers in Retail. Fastfood. Warehousing
