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 call the Member Support Hotline on 8139 1000.
Not a member? Help the SDA get the best deal for Coles workers here.