Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senators Ciccone, Polley, Farrell, O'Neill and Marielle Smith, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises that members of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) in the retail and fast food sectors have been at the forefront of service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic;

(b) acknowledges that retail and fast food workers have:

  (i) suffered abusive behaviour from customers,

  (ii) put themselves at risk of infection just by turning up to work,

  (iii) worked inordinate hours to help provide the basic goods that Australians need to survive, and

  (iv) had their penalty rates cut by the Fair Work Commission despite their efforts;

(c) notes that:

  (i) retail workers have proven themselves truly essential during this year of disasters,

  (ii) the SDA union worked hard with the retail industry to have the 'SDA 10 Point COVID Safety Plan' implemented as an industry benchmark, and

  (iii) the SDA union worked tirelessly to promote the need for up to 14 days special paid pandemic leave for all employees – this industry wide claim was adopted in full or in part by numerous retailers; and

(d) congratulates the SDA union on securing an appropriate and well-deserved recognition payment for its thousands of members at a range of retail employers.