The SDA Union (1 Viewer)

[Geezer28]

Hello guys and girls!

I've just recently been employed at Woolworths, and at the Induction, they had a representative come from the SDA. She preached all its goodness, its glory, its benefits, and its sexual favours.

Err... maybe not too many sexual favours, but you NEVER know

Anyway! I was intoxicated by the proposal to join, and wrote my name down because I thought it would be easier than joining it later anyway, and I suppose it sounded okay. But now, I am having second thoughts. I'm only employed to work Casuallly, (not part time or full time), so I have zero job security in any case; the union could not protect me if Woolies wanted to fire me. The benefits book looks pretty dismal to me (I have a variant called an "Entertainment" book {www.entertainmentbook.com.au} which has many, many more benefits for me}. Other than that, there doesn't seem to be too much the Union can offer me. So.....

I want to ask you guys, do you think that it's worth staying in for the $5 a week pay cut, or no?

(Btw, sorry if there's already an SDA thread).

Regards,

TheGeez.

 

[townie]

Well, 1, it's tax deductible, so you will get part of it back.

and i know some1 at my work, casual, got screwed around, joined the union, doesnt get screwed around anymore.

i'd also like to point out that the SDA is currently negotiating our new rates of pay and award agreement, and the more members=more power

also, the SDA has helped when employees have been unfairly dismissed (such as when somebody was fired for having a piercing of some description)

 

[Captain Gh3y]

I think I may be the only person employed by Woolworths Limited who's not a member

 

[Sarah168]

I want to get out of this but it's horribly difficult. I called up and the dumb lady just spouted union crap to me. All I want is to cancel my membership! Argh.

I've given up. I'm just gonna claim it as a deduction at tax time.

 

[Rinni]

I'm a member, it's tax deductable, doesn't cost much and who knows when you might need them to negotiate something for you. Unions are there for a reason...

 

["Chubby"]

im a member and joined purely for the fact that who knows when i will need them

as for the profits and benefits..i bever use them..dunno why..perhaps i don't need to...but the 25% off easter show tickets is enticing haha

 

[tennille]

I want to get out of this but it's horribly difficult. I called up and the dumb lady just spouted union crap to me. All I want is to cancel my membership! Argh.

I've given up. I'm just gonna claim it as a deduction at tax time.

Can't you write a letter informing you do not want to be a member of the union anymore, and give it to the cash office (assuming you work at Woolies or something similar)? Maybe talk to the cash office about it first.

 

[dodgyfilokid]

Talk to the cash office about it. But I dont see why you pay 5 bucks a week for it if your casual..Im a casual at KMart and i only pay 2.95 a week on weeks you actually work...full and part timers pay 6.95 a weeek...it might not help you out now but you never know...at my work anyone whos in the union is pretty much safe..well even if u arent they know that the union will make noises if sumthin fishy appears like with our pay etc.

 

[Geezer28]

Yeah, but the more hours you work, the more the Union charges you. And I mean, to be honest, it doesn't seem like a great deal of money to me. I can see the benefits in joining (e.g. even if you hurt your leg or finger outside of work, the Union can provide for you a certain amount). I was just wanting to weigh up the two sides.

Btw, because I'm not really going to earn over $6,000 a year (I don't think..) I'm doubting whether I'll actually be paying tax anyway, so calling it as a tax deduction isn't helpful for me either. But.. I could be wrong, I could earn more, or I could have to pay tax. It's all new to me :S That's why all your comments are helpful!!!

 

[Sarah168]

Can't you write a letter informing you do not want to be a member of the union anymore, and give it to the cash office (assuming you work at Woolies or something similar)? Maybe talk to the cash office about it first.

Urgh. The head cashier at my place is a 1st class bitch. I hate dealing with her. Also, the SDA lady said something about letting cash office know AS WELL AS cancelling at the SDA itself. Both have to happen for me to stop paying the fees. My friend got out the SDA late last year after writing to them in EARLY 2004. Grrrr.

As I said before, I give up. Claim it back at tax time.

 

[ihavenothing]

Even though they are the dodgiest union in the ACTU and do the least for its workers than the other ones at least you have some form of protection.

 

[circusmind]

My local SDA rep was a prime wanker to me, trying to trick me into joining.

 

[fnkychk]

my rep was a douchebag as well. i hadn't filled in my sign-up form yet (hadn't decided what to do) and he wouldn't give me 2 sheets of paper that contained salary information b/c 'resources are for members'. i didn't join, but i did get the trainer to photocopy the info for me.

 

[Gavvvvvin]

My rep was a 'trekky' :mad1:

 

[sladehk]

if you don't get that many hours, its worth it =D
i kinda stopped working @ woolies but sill with SDA
i get cheaper movie tickets and stuff for $0 per week coz its proportional to how much you earn =D

 

[M-turkey]

I was a member of the SDA for about six months, but cancelled my membership back in January.

If you really rely on your Job for your livelyhood, then union membership would be good, but if you're casual and/or a student, and don't value your job that much (like me) then its not really worth while.

When I quit, I just asked the cash-office to stop making payments, I'm probably still technically a member, but I'm not paying anything.

Also, they are tax deductable, but if you don't earn that much (less than $10 000 throughout the finacial year) you would get any of it back as there wont be any tax to deduct it from).

Just to notes, the fees are $2.95 for 10 hours work or less, $4.95 for 10 to 20 or something and around $7 for even more hours.

 

[Katie123]

i joined when i worked at myer over xmas... my reasoning was that because i was a xmas casual i may be more likely to be screwed over than if i was a p/t ot f/t employee. I will get most of it back at the end of the year so i dont really mind

 

[xXeMoxXxCoRexX]

The SDA is synonymous with corruption.

 

[M-turkey]

I might add though, that I did get a copy of the Live8 concert DVD from the SDA, and I have no idea why, I cant remember entering anything.
Anyways, I traded it in to buy Lost Season 2 anyways, cos I already had a copy of Live8