Ben is a year 12 student who works casually at a nearby supermarket. Being near the end of the school year, Ben needed time off to study as well as to sit his major exams. He approached his supervisors and asked for time off but his boss denied him the time saying “ there are not enough employees to cover you”.

Ben decided to approach his union SDA to find out about his rights in the workplace. They sent him out several brochures explaining the appropriate way to address his situation. Ben rang the union a second time to ask for their help. The union wrote a letter to Ben’s supervisors which finally resolved his problem.

Therefore through Ben having the confidence to stand up for his rights as an employee with the help of his union, his problem was resolved satisfactorily. Unions enable many  young people in similar situations to resolve  problems in their work environments.

To find the union or union related organization that can help you in a difficult situation and inform you about your rights as a young worker please visit the links page on this website.