Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
Encyclopedia
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA) is the largest trade union
in Australia
with more than 230,000 members and branches in every state and one in the Newcastle
, Hunter Valley
and Central Coast region. The SDA is the union for retail and fast-food workers, but does have other areas of coverage. The SDA is a 'full service' union and provides a range additional benefits to members in addition to workplace and industrial protection.
The current National Secretary is Joe de Bruyn
and the National President is Gerard Dwyer.
, Queensland
, Victoria
and South Australia
combined to become the Shop Assistants and Warehouse Employees Federation. Over time, unions in Tasmania, Newcastle and Western Australia became part of the national union.
In 1972, the union changed its name to the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association.
In addition to this, the SDA covers some other categories of workers when they are connected to a retail or warehousing environment. For example, the SDA does not have coverage of bakers at large factories or a small bakery. These workers include:
The SDA attempts to have a relatively positive relationship with retail employers as this allows it to negotiate better outcomes for its members than a more confrontational approach because of the reluctance of SDA members to take industrial action. This reluctance is inherent to the categories of workers who are covered by the SDA - young people and women who are generally in casual employment.
The SDA has a history of fighting for the rights of all workers and was the biggest contributor to the Your Rights At Work campaign which is credited with the overturning of John Howard's Work Choices laws.
The SDA also takes a strong position on the rights of women in workplace and since 1978 has advocated for the introduction of paid parental leave.
. De Bryn is also Senior Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
ACTU, on the Executive of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP) and President of International Union, UniGlobalUnion.
Each Branch of the Union elects its own leadership.
The SDA made a submission in 2005 to the Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) opposing the provision of in vitro fertilisation and other assisted reproductive techonologies to same sex couples.
While speaking on marriage during the 2007 ALP national conference the SDA's national secretary, Joe de Bruyn
, and other members of the ALP Right, were heckled by delegates who supported gay marriages.
The SDA has also been criticised as having a disproportionate influence over the Australian Labor Party, influencing party policy towards more socially conservative positions. The SDA argues that it merely has the same amount of influence that any large union would have over the ALP, especially one which identified with the dominant faction within the party.
A comparative analysis of polling data of support for same-sex marriage
and membership demographics of the SDA found that the socially conservative positions of the SDA leadership - particularly Joe de Bruyn
- are likely to be at odds with the rank-and-file of the union. The lobby group Australian Marriage Equality
challenged the SDA to survey its membership before contributing further to the same-sex marriage debate in Australia. To date, the SDA has never sought the views of its membership on the issue.
In response to the union's position on gay rights, SDA members in Brisbane met to organise a grassroots revolt at the quarterly members meeting and raise the issue of same-sex marriage.
union was set up in Victoria in order to organise food and retail workers who were perceived as being neglected by the SDA. The union is not registered under the Fair Work Act 2009. Its secretary, Anthony Main, a Socialist Party member. In March 2006, UNITE declared:
The move drew heavy criticism from the SDA. Michael Donovan, the secretary of the Victorian branch of the SDA told Lateline
that "Now is not the time to be splitting the union movement. The SDA is the union to look after the interests of young people in the retail industry and fast-food industry and all we're doing is playing into the hands of John Howard and the Liberal Party."
Secretary- Michael Donovan
Secretary- Gerard Dwyer
Secretary- Barbara Nebart
Secretary- Chris Ketter
Secretary- Peter Malinauskas
Secretary- Joe Bullock
Secretary- Paul Griffin
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with more than 230,000 members and branches in every state and one in the Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
and Central Coast region. The SDA is the union for retail and fast-food workers, but does have other areas of coverage. The SDA is a 'full service' union and provides a range additional benefits to members in addition to workplace and industrial protection.
The current National Secretary is Joe de Bruyn
Joe de Bruyn
Joe de Bruyn , is an Australian trade union official. He is currently National Secretary and Treasurer of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association , a Vice-President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and a member of the National Executive of the Australian Labor Party .De...
and the National President is Gerard Dwyer.
Brief history
In 1908, unions representing retail workers in New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
combined to become the Shop Assistants and Warehouse Employees Federation. Over time, unions in Tasmania, Newcastle and Western Australia became part of the national union.
In 1972, the union changed its name to the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association.
Coverage
The main categories of workers covered by the SDA are retail shop assistants and fast food workers but the SDA also covers:- Reserve and Backdock Employees
- Pharmacy
- General Distribution and Warehousing
- Pharmaceutical Drug Manufacturing and Distribution
- Cosmetic Manufacturing and Distribution
- Van Sales
- Photographic Industry
- Modelling and Mannequin
- Motor Vehicle Sales
- Shoe and Boot Repairing
- Hairdressing and Beauty
In addition to this, the SDA covers some other categories of workers when they are connected to a retail or warehousing environment. For example, the SDA does not have coverage of bakers at large factories or a small bakery. These workers include:
- Bakers
- Retail Meat Employees
- Pastrycooks
- Security
- Cleaning
- Vehicle Repair Services
- Call Centre Workers
Industrial Approach
As a result of the SDA's coverage, the union is moderate and responsible in its approach to Industrial Relations.The SDA attempts to have a relatively positive relationship with retail employers as this allows it to negotiate better outcomes for its members than a more confrontational approach because of the reluctance of SDA members to take industrial action. This reluctance is inherent to the categories of workers who are covered by the SDA - young people and women who are generally in casual employment.
The SDA has a history of fighting for the rights of all workers and was the biggest contributor to the Your Rights At Work campaign which is credited with the overturning of John Howard's Work Choices laws.
The SDA also takes a strong position on the rights of women in workplace and since 1978 has advocated for the introduction of paid parental leave.
Leadership
The SDA has been led for many years by its National Secretary Joe de BruynJoe de Bruyn
Joe de Bruyn , is an Australian trade union official. He is currently National Secretary and Treasurer of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association , a Vice-President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and a member of the National Executive of the Australian Labor Party .De...
. De Bryn is also Senior Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
ACTU, on the Executive of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP) and President of International Union, UniGlobalUnion.
Each Branch of the Union elects its own leadership.
Hypocracy
The SDA are the biggest hpocritical group out. they declare that discrimination in the work place isn't right, but are against same-sex marriage.Social positions
The SDA has taken morally conservative positions on social issues especially concerning issues like abortion and rights for same sex couples.The SDA made a submission in 2005 to the Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) opposing the provision of in vitro fertilisation and other assisted reproductive techonologies to same sex couples.
While speaking on marriage during the 2007 ALP national conference the SDA's national secretary, Joe de Bruyn
Joe de Bruyn
Joe de Bruyn , is an Australian trade union official. He is currently National Secretary and Treasurer of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association , a Vice-President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and a member of the National Executive of the Australian Labor Party .De...
, and other members of the ALP Right, were heckled by delegates who supported gay marriages.
The SDA has also been criticised as having a disproportionate influence over the Australian Labor Party, influencing party policy towards more socially conservative positions. The SDA argues that it merely has the same amount of influence that any large union would have over the ALP, especially one which identified with the dominant faction within the party.
A comparative analysis of polling data of support for same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and membership demographics of the SDA found that the socially conservative positions of the SDA leadership - particularly Joe de Bruyn
Joe de Bruyn
Joe de Bruyn , is an Australian trade union official. He is currently National Secretary and Treasurer of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association , a Vice-President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and a member of the National Executive of the Australian Labor Party .De...
- are likely to be at odds with the rank-and-file of the union. The lobby group Australian Marriage Equality
Australian Marriage Equality
Australian Marriage Equality is a group of Australians from various states and territories who have come together to campaign for law reform and attitudinal change necessary to allow same sex couples to marry...
challenged the SDA to survey its membership before contributing further to the same-sex marriage debate in Australia. To date, the SDA has never sought the views of its membership on the issue.
In response to the union's position on gay rights, SDA members in Brisbane met to organise a grassroots revolt at the quarterly members meeting and raise the issue of same-sex marriage.
Turf wars
In 2003, the UNITEUnite Union (Australia)
Unite is a trade union established in Melbourne, Australia. The union is not registered under the Fair Work Act 2009. Its secretary is Anthony Main, a Socialist Party member. Its inspiration is the Unite Union in New Zealand...
union was set up in Victoria in order to organise food and retail workers who were perceived as being neglected by the SDA. The union is not registered under the Fair Work Act 2009. Its secretary, Anthony Main, a Socialist Party member. In March 2006, UNITE declared:
Unfortunately the union that most young workers in Australia belong to, the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, (SDA) does not have the same fighting spirit as UNITE. The SDA is a weak union that prefers to cosy up to the bosses instead of fighting for young peoples’ rights at work. Workers can’t leave it up to a bosses union like the SDA to protect them from the worst elements of the new laws. We need our own fighting organisation along the lines of UNITEUnite UnionThe Unite Union is a trade union in New Zealand. It is the sponsor of the campaign directed towards improving working conditions for fast food workers in the country, in addition to representing other hospitality and retail workers...
in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
The move drew heavy criticism from the SDA. Michael Donovan, the secretary of the Victorian branch of the SDA told Lateline
Lateline
Lateline is an Australian television news and current affairs program produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, airing weeknights at on ABC1. The program has developed a reputation for head-to-head debates on current issues and political interviews. Lateline is followed by its sister...
that "Now is not the time to be splitting the union movement. The SDA is the union to look after the interests of young people in the retail industry and fast-food industry and all we're doing is playing into the hands of John Howard and the Liberal Party."
Affilation
The SDA is affiliated to a number of organisations. These include:- The Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
- The Australian Council of Trade UnionsAustralian Council of Trade UnionsThe Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
- International Union UniGlobalUnion
Branches
The SDA has branches across Australia.- Victorian Branch.
Secretary- Michael Donovan
- New South Wales Branch.
Secretary- Gerard Dwyer
- Newcastle & Northern Branch.
Secretary- Barbara Nebart
- Queensland Branch.
Secretary- Chris Ketter
- South Australian/Northern Territory and Broken Hill Branch-
Secretary- Peter Malinauskas
- WA Branch.
Secretary- Joe Bullock
- Tasmanian Branch.
Secretary- Paul Griffin