NRA HAVE YOUR SAY
The Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) have made a claim with the Fair Work Commission (FWC), as part of the four yearly review of modern awards, for the inclusion of blood and bone marrow donor leave to be included in the following modern awards:
- General Retail Industry Award 2010 (GRIA);
- Fast Food Industry Award 2010 (FFIA);
- Pharmacy Industry Award 2010 (PIA); and
- Hair and Beauty Industry Award (HBIA).
The claim was originally foreshadowed in relation to the Pharmacy Industry Award 2010 as part of the Group 2 substantive issues process. A more detailed claim was submitted (by the SDA) for the remaining three awards.
The matter is next listed for mention before Vice President Hatcher at the Fair Work Commission on Monday, 16 January 2017. It is intended that the matter will be determined by the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission.
Interested parties to the SDA’s application, which includes, at this stage, the National Retail Association, the Australian Industry Group and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia are required to make submissions and submit evidence in support of their respective views on the claim.
The SDA’s application centres on the inclusion (in the aforementioned awards) of an entitlement to blood and bone marrow donor leave/absence:
- Blood Donor Leave
- Permanent employees be provided with two hours’ paid leave on a maximum of four occasions per year for the purpose of donating blood; and
- Casual employees be entitled to be absent for two hours on a maximum of four occasions per year without pay.
- Bone Marrow Donor Leave
- Permanent employees be entitled to four days paid leave to undertake any procedure necessary for the donation of bone marrow including blood tests for the purpose of becoming a registered donor; and
- Casual employees be entitled to be absent for the equivalent time afforded to permanent employees (i.e. four days) without pay.
A full outline of the SDA’s proposal can be viewed by clicking on the following links:
- GRIA – https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/sites/awardsmodernfouryr/am2014270-sub-sda-300916.pdf
- FFIA – https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/sites/awardsmodernfouryr/am2014267-sub-sda-031016.pdf
- PIA – https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/sites/awardsmodernfouryr/am2014209-jointsub-sdaandors-240516.pdf
- HBIA – https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/sites/awardsmodernfouryr/am2014271-sub-sda-031016.pdf
The NRA is seeking member feedback on the SDA’s claim for the proposed inclusion of blood and bone marrow donor leave in the above modern awards:
Do you support or oppose the SDA’s claim? Please provide brief reasons in support of your view.
Please send your response to the NRA Legal Team by close of business on Friday, 13 January 2017 via email to law@nra.net.au.