The SDA is proud that McDonald’s workers are among the highest paid fast food workers in the world and enjoy strong rights and working conditions.
Today’s article in Fairfax media fundamentally misunderstands the way in which collective bargaining takes place.
Within the current enterprise bargaining framework it is common practice for workers to seek to significantly increase their base rate of pay and to choose a system that leaves them in the best possible position.
Workers at McDonald’s voted (97% in favour) to have a significantly higher base rate of pay, as opposed to higher penalty rates, because in the vast majority of cases this leaves the worker better off overall.
The weekly wage in the McDonald’s Agreement is between $45-$66 a week higher than the Fast Food Award today and the premium is expanding.
The current agreement also includes a range of important working conditions not contained in state enterprise awards in 2013, when this Agreement was made, nor in the National Fast Food Award today including:
– Part-time workers are guaranteed 10 hours per week as a minimum;
– Shorter maximum shifts for full-time, part-time and casual workers;
– Study leave;
– Domestic violence leave;
– Compassionate leave;
– Defence force and emergency services leave;
– Double payment as compensation if you miss a meal break;
– More generous pay and conditions for delivery workers, as well as paid car insurance for delivery workers;
– People working five days a week get the benefit of all public holidays;
– Strong annual wage increases of between 3.5% and 4.5% (private sector wages growth is currently 1.9%).
As a result of agreements negotiated by the SDA and endorsed by workers and the Fair Work Commission, McDonald’s workers are among the best paid fast food workers in the world.
This agreement not only delivers higher wages but important conditions such as domestic violence leave, study leave and double payment if a young worker misses a meal break.
The SDA always bargains in the best interests of its members, and opposes the Turnbull Government’s plans to strip weekend penalty rates from the Award.
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