SDA Secures New Coles Agreement
Following extensive negotiations Coles and the SDA agreed on a draft new Enterprise Agreement in September 2017.
Questions about your pay? Read about how your pay is protected here.
For a full summary of the proposed Agreement, click here.
The SDA set out to negotiate the Agreement with four key priorities, endorsed at multiple meetings by SDA Delegates and Shop Stewards from stores throughout Australia:
- Protect take-home pay
- Improve penalty rates
- Secure hard-won SDA Union conditions
- Ensure pay rises for everyone
The proposed Agreement represents a significant change in conditions of employment at Coles.
Due to the end of the Coles Enterprise Award and the Fair Work Commission decision on the 2014 Coles Agreement, the proposed Agreement is based on a framework consistent with the General Retail Industry Award. The SDA worked hard to secure a wage structure that protects existing staff and ensures wage increases into the future.
Without a new Agreement Coles workers may revert to the Award with no take-home pay protections and all over-Award conditions lost. REMEMBER! No new Agreement goes through without a vote of Coles employees.
VOTE RESULT: Coles workers vote yes! Following two and half weeks of roll out and thousands of meetings in stores across the country – voting took place from 14 February to 25 February 2018. In the ballot, an overwhelming 90% voted in favour of the new Coles Agreement. The new Agreement was approved by the Fair Work Commission and took effect from 30 April 2018.
If you have any questions, you can also call your local SDA Branch here.
Coles Transition Payment – September 2018
The new Coles Agreement came into effect on 30 April 2018. Some Coles Employees may be eligible for an additional payment (the ‘Transition Payment’) which is to be paid on 26 September 2018. Are you eligible? Click here.
READ ABOUT THE NEW COLES AGREEMENT
The new Coles Agreement came into effect on 30 April 2018. Some Coles Employees may be eligible for an additional payment (the ‘Transition Payment’) which is to be paid on 26 September. Are you eligible? Click here.
New Coles Agreement approved by Fair Work Commission
The new Coles Agreement has now been approved by the Fair Work Commission.
This is an excellent outcome for Coles workers who will now have:
Take-home pay protected
Improved penalty rates
Many hard-won SDA union conditions secured
Importantly, Coles workers will receive a pay rise in July this year.
Securing the new Agreement locks in your pay and conditions for the next two years.
The new Coles Agreement will take effect from next Monday 30 April 2018.
Your Protected Pay Rate
As part of the new Coles Agreement, all Coles employees employed on or before 25 February 2018 will have a protected pay rate. New rates of pay will take effect from the first full pay period on or after 30 April 2018.
To protect the take-home pay of existing employees, the new Agreement includes a mechanism called the “Top-up Payment Scheme”. Each week you will be paid either your protected pay rate or the pay rates in the new Agreement – whichever is the higher amount.
This ensures no Coles worker is left worse off as we transition to a new Agreement with higher penalty rates and provide pay rises for all.
Read more about Protected Pay Rates here.
Pay rises
Under the new Coles Agreement, the minimum rates of pay in the Coles Agreement will increase in line with the increase determined by the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review handed down in June each year. The SDA and Australian Unions are working hard to ensure a significant pay increase for workers as the cost of living continues to go up.
We will keep you updated with more information throughout this process.
Remember, the SDA is here to help. If you have any questions call your SDA Branch.
Following extensive negotiations Coles and the SDA have agreed on a draft new Enterprise Agreement that would go for two years to 30 April 2020.
The SDA set out to negotiate the Agreement with four key priorities, endorsed at multiple meetings by SDA Delegates from stores throughout Australia:
– Protect take-home pay
– Improve penalty rates
– Secure hard-won SDA Union conditions
– Ensure pay rises for everyone
REMEMBER! No new Agreement goes through without a vote of Coles employees! Voting will take place from 14 February 2018 to 25 February 2018.
The proposed Agreement represents a significant change in conditions of employment at Coles.
Due to the end of the Coles Enterprise Award and the Fair Work Commission decision on the 2014 Coles Agreement, the proposed Agreement is based on a framework consistent with the General Retail Industry Award.
The SDA worked hard to secure a wage structure that protects existing staff and ensure wage increases for all into the future.
Without a new Agreement Coles workers may revert to the Award with no take-home pay protections and all over-Award conditions lost.
For a copy of the full summary document, speak to your SDA Delegate, SDA Organiser or read it here. Click here for the full proposed Coles Supermarkets Agreement.
The negotiations with the Company, which took place over thirteen full days commencing July 4 2017, were difficult as they were based around the General Retail Industry Award, meaning that many hard won and long-standing conditions in the Coles Agreement were at risk.
Given what was at stake, the SDA devoted considerable resources to ensuring we had the most effective negotiating team meeting with the Company, and to ensure that members and delegates were kept up-to-date.
All Coles workers will vote on whether to accept this proposed Agreement. If there is a majority ‘yes’ vote, it the Agreement will then go to the Fair Work Commission for approval.
All the latest information about the proposed Coles Agreement is posted here on this website.
If you have any questions, please contact the SDA. All of our SDA Branch phone numbers are listed here.
The SDA has worked hard to ensure that your take-home pay is protected.
As we move from a higher base rate and different penalty rates to a model with higher penalty rates and a lower base rate the SDA wanted no-one on higher rates to be worse off.
Employees employed at the time of the vote will be paid the higher of either: the new Agreement rate and penalty rates; or the protected pay rate (calculated on your current average pay with existing higher base pay rates).
The proposed Agreement ensures you will be paid more than the Award at all times. To protect the take-home pay of existing employees it includes a mechanism, called the “Top-up Payment Scheme”.
Under the Top-up Payment Scheme, your earnings for a twelve month period (or pro-rata period for people engaged for less than 12 months) will be calculated and divided by the number of hours you have worked to calculate a protected pay rate.
» At the end of each week, the Company will calculate your wages on the base rates and penalties in the proposed Agreement.
» They will also calculate your wages for the same hours on your protected pay rate.
» You will be paid the higher of the two amounts for that week.
» Your protected pay rate will not go down, or be frozen but will increase each July 1 equivalent to 50% of the Annual Wage Review percentage. This is consistent with how saved rates have been protected in the past.
» Each employee will have a different protected pay rate because it will depend on your average pay over 12 months. But it will ensure that no-one is worse off as we move to a new model and provide pay rises for all.
The Top-up Payment Scheme will be managed and funded centrally, meaning store budgets are not affected by its operation.
The SDA believes this is far better than frozen rates of pay or a cut in pay down to the Award rate.
Read our Top Up Scheme Q&A for more information about your Protected Pay Rate.
The SDA has delivered on improved penalty rates and the new structure is as follows:
| Permanent | Casual (including loading) | |
| Mon – Saturday 6pm-11pm | 25% | 25%* |
| Mon – Saturday before 7am & after 11pm | 50% for 3 hours 100% after |
75% for 3 hours 125% after |
| Sunday before 9am & after 11pm | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday 7am to 6pm | 25% | 35% * |
| Public Holidays | 225% | 250% (inc loading) |
| Permanent | Casual (including casual loading) | |
| Sunday 9am to 11pm | 95% | 95% |
| From 1 July 2018 | 80% | 85% |
| From 1 July 2019 | 65% | 75% |
*These penalty rates are based on the Retail Award. The SDA is running a case in the Fair Work Commission to ensure casuals are paid a penalty rate for working evenings and the casual penalty rate of 35% on Saturdays is increased to 50%. If we win, they will also be changed in the new Coles Agreement.
Transitioning to a new Award-based agreement means the SDA had to fight for the better conditions SDA union members have won over decades of bargaining.
The SDA has won the following conditions which will remain in the new proposed Agreement:
- Voluntary work on all Public Holidays.
- Voluntary work for Easter Sunday, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve subject to staffing, where not already a public holiday.
- Rosters to take into account family and study commitments and safe transport home.
- Status quo for roster disputes.
- 15 Minute tea breaks.
- Adult rates at 20 years from day one.
- All current saving provisions.
- Better compassionate leave than the Award.
- Higher redundancy payments than the Award.
- Arbitration of workplace disputes.
- Domestic violence leave clause improved.
- Paid jury service leave.
- Emergency services leave.
- Natural disaster leave.
- Paid defence force leave.
- Paid pre-natal leave.
- Paid blood donor leave.
- Long Service Leave – option for double leave at half pay.
- Limited tenure protections.
- Superior Parental Leave provisions.
- REST as Default Fund, though choice will now apply.
Wage rates in the proposed Agreement are higher than in the General Retail Industry Award.
Pay increases will occur in July of each year.
Pay rises will be based on the increase the SDA wins in the Annual Wage Review from the Fair Work Commission. The percentage increase we win will be applied to the higher Coles rates of pay.
Protected rates of pay will not reduce or be frozen but will increase by 50% of the Annual Wage Review percentage that we win.
There are also a range of new rights for Coles workers as part of the proposed Agreement.
- The 20% reduction in part time hours clause has been removed.
- A new right for part time employees to request to increase their hours to their 12 month average.
- Tea Breaks will now apply at 4 hours. Retention of 15 minutes inclusive of walking time.
- Ability for regular casuals to request to convert to part time work as part of a new Casual Conversion clause- made possible due to the SDA/ACTU case in the Fair Work Commission.
- 2 Days paid Domestic Violence Leave.
- Permanent team members to receive 2 consecutive days off each week or 3 per fortnight.
- New Freezer Allowance (below 0 degrees) of $0.43 per hour.
- New Broken Hill Allowance.
Despite fighting to retain all the conditions in the previous Coles Agreement, there will be some changes.
The proposed new Coles Agreement does not include:
- Upfront crediting of personal leave – this will now be progressive throughout each year.
- Higher junior rates for 18 & 19 year olds. However, junior rates are higher than the Award. (Protected pay rate applies for existing staff).
- Some previous casual rostering protections.
- Broken Hill Conditions (Savings apply).
- Western Australian and Northern Territory Allowances (Protected pay rate applies for existing staff).
- Higher Apprentice Rates. However, Apprentice Rates are higher than the Award. (Protected pay rate applies for existing staff)
- Additional day of Carers Leave.
- The additional shift provisions
Other changes
» NSW Picnic Day to apply in 2018 but not in 2019.
» Victorian Accident Make Up Pay will continue to be available for existing employees but not new employees.
» The annual leave loading will be either the new base rates of pay and leave loading of 17.5% or the new base rates of pay and any relevant penalty rates, whichever is the greater but not both.
Conditions dependent on Fair Work Commission (FWC) decisions
» The SDA is running a case at the FWC for the right for another day off when a non-working day falls on a public holiday to be inserted in the Retail Award. If the SDA wins this case the benefit will continue to apply for Coles workers.
» The SDA is running a case at the FWC for the introduction of penalty rates for Casual workers after 6pm- Monday to Saturday. If the SDA wins the case it will apply to Coles workers.
» The SDA is running a case at the FWC to increase the penalty rates for Casual workers on Saturdays from 35% to 50%. If the SDA wins the case it will apply to Coles workers.
The new rates in the table below will only apply to existing employees if they increase your weekly wage. You will be paid the higher weekly amount of either the new rates with penalties or your current protected pay rates for the whole week. The new rates below will only apply to existing employees if the new rates with penalties for your roster would pay you more for the week than your protected pay rate for the week. You will get the higher of the two. (see “Protecting Take Home Pay” for more detail.)
As there has been some time since the last wage increase it was important for the SDA to secure a payment for existing employees.
A $475 lump sum payment for full-timers (pro rata amount for part-time and casuals based on hours worked July – September 2017). This will be made to employees upon a positive vote.
The payment will only apply to staff employed as at 30 June 2017 and who remain employed by Coles on the date of a successful vote being declared.
The SDA has fought hard to deliver the best possible outcomes for Coles workers and the framework of the proposed agreement has been endorsed by hundreds of SDA Delegates and Shop Stewards from Coles at meetings across Australia.
The SDA will roll out the proposed agreement in stores so that Coles workers are provided with information and can ask questions.
No new agreement will be introduced without a vote of Coles workers.
You can vote on the Agreement between 6am Wednesday 14 February 2018 and 8pm Sunday 25 February 2018 (AEDT).
You can vote online at netvote.com.au/379 or you can vote over the phone 1300 830 642.
This agreement will cover all retail store team members, Coles online, Coles services but will not cover team members predominantly employed in the Meat Department.
If you have any questions or concerns about this please speak to your SDA Delegate/Shop Steward, Organiser or contact the SDA.
The SDA will provide members with updates as this process progresses.
Click here for contact details for SDA Branches throughout Australia.
LATEST UPDATES
13 FULL DAYS OF BARGAINING
SDA secures draft new Agreement for Coles employees
Coles and the SDA have agreed on a draft new EBA to cover retail store team members.
The SDA set out to negotiate the Agreement with four key priorities, endorsed at multiple meetings by SDA Delegates from stores throughout Australia:
- Protect take-home pay
- Improve penalty rates
- Secure hard-won conditions
- Ensure pay rises for everyone
The negotiations with the Company, which took place over thirteen full days commencing July 4th, were difficult as they were based around the General Retail Industry Award, meaning that many hard won and long-standing conditions in the Coles Agreement were at risk.
Given what was at stake, the SDA devoted considerable resources to ensuring we had the most effective negotiating team meeting with the Company, and to ensure that members and delegates were kept up-to-date.
500 SDA Delegates last met on Tuesday 12 September to endorse positions for the remaining outstanding matters.
We believe that the proposed Agreement, which contains:
- improved late night, Saturday and Sunday penalty rates
- an above award rate of pay
- most of the superior conditions from the current Agreement
- protections for take-home pay of current employees
delivers an outcome consistent with our four key priorities.
There is still some work to be done before the proposed new Agreement can be put to Coles employees for a vote.
Drafting will continue to finalise wording in a fortnight. At the appropriate time there will be further meetings of SDA Delegates.
The Company position is to have the new Agreement commence operation next year because of the case before the Fair Work Commission on termination of the 2011 Coles Agreement.
All Coles workers will vote on whether to accept this proposed Agreement. As the Agreement contains significant changes from previous Coles Agreements, once the Agreement drafting is completed the SDA will be out in stores explaining the new proposed Agreement and how any changes may affect you.
You will receive all the information you need to make an informed decision about your pay and conditions. Remember, no new Agreement will be put in place unless a majority of Coles workers vote ‘yes’.
You can also read more about the proposed Coles Agreement online anytime at www.sda.com.au/coles.
The SDA will keep all members informed about dates for roll out and voting as it happens.
If you have any questions, please contact the SDA. All contact details for each SDA Branch are up on www.sda.org.au.
Coles and the SDA have held meetings over the past two days as negotiations for a new Coles Supermarkets Agreement continue.
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 a 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.
Meetings between the SDA and Coles have continued over the past two days as part of negotiations for new Coles Supermarkets Agreement.
Progress has been made around rostering protections, securing above award part-time provisions, fair access to additional hours and 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.
Significant progress has already been made on:
- Improved penalty rates
- Protections to the take-home pay of existing employees.
- Improved tea breaks.
- The retention of a number of leave provisions.
You can see our log of claims here.
The SDA continues to work hard to secure paid domestic violence leave and public holiday rights.
Wages are still to be discussed and the SDA continues to maintain the need for all staff to receive wage increases.
The company have proposed an Award based model for the new agreement with many changes.
Our meetings will continue at the end of the month.
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.
The SDA and Coles have met over the last two days continuing negotiations for a new Coles Supermarkets Agreement.
Negotiations this week have focused on SDA claims for rostering, entitlements and protections for part time workers, domestic violence leave and compassionate leave.
As previously reported the company have proposed an Award based model for the new agreement with many changes.
This delivers on some of the SDA’s claims for improved penalty rates. The SDA continues to be focused on protecting take home pay, securing wage increases for all employees and retaining hard won conditions as we transition to new agreement.
You can see our log of claims here.
Our meetings continue next week.
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.
The SDA and Coles met today as part of negotiations for a new Coles Supermarkets Agreement.
Progress was made on improved tea breaks and new part-time clauses.
The company has proposed an Award based model for the new agreement with many changes being proposed.
The SDA’s aim continues to be securing higher penalty rates for workers but protecting take home pay and securing wage increases for all employees as we transition.
You can see our log of claims here.
Our meetings continue next week.
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.
The SDA has held meetings with Coles for a new agreement over the last 2 days.
We have now formally responded to the Coles draft for a new agreement which is an award based platform.
This delivers on SDA claims for higher penalty rates and other compliance issues. However, the SDA remains committed to ensuring that existing workers take home pay is protected, that all workers receive pay increases and that we retain the hard won union conditions we have achieved in over 20 years of bargaining with Coles.
In negotiations we continue to press for;
- Higher Casual penalty rates which we are also pursuing for all retail workers at the Fair Work Commission.
- Retention of higher SDA-won junior rates.
- Maintaining superior SDA public holiday conditions.
- And much more.
You can see our log of claims here.
Our meetings continue next week.
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.
Over the past two days the SDA has met with Coles as part of negotiations for a new Coles Agreement.
Yesterday the Company provided their opening position and today we responded with our list of claims. You can find our list here.
So far in negotiations, progress has been made in relation to improved penalty rates and protections for take home pay. However there is still much more to do.
Our next meeting is on the 20th of July when the company will respond to our claims.
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.
Today the SDA met with Coles to begin negotiations for a new Coles Agreement and the Company provided their opening position.
Tomorrow, we’ll be taking our list of claims to the Company.
Over the last week, Coles SDA Delegates from across the country came together to discuss our approach to negotiations.
During those meetings, SDA Delegates passed resolutions which support our list of claims to take to the Company to ensure that:
- Your take-home pay is protected
- Penalty rates are improved
- Your existing conditions are secured
It is our priority to protect what SDA union members have fought hard to achieve over decades of bargaining.
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 thank our SDA Delegates and members for their support and hard work to ensure Coles workers get a fair go.
We will continue to update all members throughout negotiations.
If you have any questions about this or any other workplace matter, please contact the SDA or speak to your SDA Delegate or Organiser.
If you’re not an SDA member, now is the time join so you can help us protect your pay and conditions. Find your local SDA here.
Help the SDA get the best deal for Coles Workers.
We need your support to fight for the best deal for Coles Workers
Join the SDA at www.sda.org.au
