One of the SDA's main aims is to improve the wages and working conditions of its members

Through enterprise bargaining, the Union secures new and improved rates of pay, allowances, leave entitlements and various other work condtions for SDA members.

To search for your current agreement, wages and conditions click here

 How an Enterprise Agreement is made

Step 1:
We survey members on what pay rise and changes they want made to the existing Agreement.
The more members we have, the better the picture we get from the surveys. This means that we know what changes employees in a company really want – whether they are full-time, part-time or casual.
It means that when we sit down to negotiate, we have the best-possible understanding about what is working – or not – in a company.
The information from the surveys is collated and that information is then used by the SDA to help formulate a ‘log of claims’ to take to the negotiating table with your employer.
Step 2:
We call a Delegates’ meeting to finalise the formulation of the log of claims
Again, the more members we have from all shifts and across all days of the week, the more Delegates we will have from all shifts and times of the week.
When we are well organised and well represented across a workplace, the list on our log of claims is better focused on the real needs of members. When that list reflects the real problems or needs of members, it is much harder for an employer to argue against the merits of the claims.
Step 3:
We commence formal negotiations with your employer. At the initial meetings the SDA and the company exchange their logs of claims and both parties take the necessary time to explain their respective claims.  (It may surprise some members that the individual companies have their own claims upon the union.  They are not shy in arguing for the winding back of the current conditions SDA members enjoy.)
This is where your SDA membership and your workmates being in the SDA really counts.
When we sit at the negotiating table and the company knows that eight or nine out of every 10 employees are in the SDA, they know we represent the interests of their employees and we are in a strong position. If, on the other hand, we only represent four or five out of every 10 employees, we will not be as effective.
These discussions continue until we reach an agreement on the pay rises and conditions that we are confident the delegates and members will support. Some times these negotiations take many months.
Your Union membership and how many of your workmates are in the SDA will determine the size of your pay rise. That is why we say: “it pays to belong to the SDA”.
Step 4:
A second meeting of Delegates is held to explain the proposed new ‘agreement’  At the end of this meeting, Delegates are asked to vote on the proposed changes to their agreement.  If the majority vote in favour, the ‘roll-out’ commences.
Step 5:
The roll-out consists of meetings being held in workplaces to explain to employees the proposed pay rises and any changes to working conditions. Members need this chance to be informed before they vote on the proposal. The roll-out may take up to a few weeks, depending on the availability of employees to attend these meetings.  The more employees that are Union members, the better informed your workplace will be about the proposed Agreement.
Step 6:
At the conclusion of step 5, a secret ballot is conducted to determine whether the changes have been accepted or rejected.  If more than 50% vote in favour of the proposed changes, the negotiations are complete and the new Agreement is lodged with the Workplace Authority and the new agreement comes into force on that day. If the Agreement is certified by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, then the new Agreement comes into force upon certification.
So you see, throughout the whole process of re-negotiating your pay, your SDA membership and the membership of your workmates really do matter.