Bunnings workers have voted in favour of a new enterprise agreement that improves penalty rates, locks in pay rises and provides better job security for part-time and casual workers.

The agreement, which the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) described as a “package of positive outcomes for Bunnings employees”, will now be lodged with the Fair Work Commission for approval.

The agreement was voted on by 59.7 per cent of Bunnings workers (21,439) on Monday evening, with 76.7 per cent (16,443) voting ‘yes’.

“Bunnings workers have strongly endorsed this agreement which improves penalty rates, locks in pay rises, strengthens minimum wage rates and reforms rostering for employees,” Gerard Dwyer, national secretary of the SDA, said.

Dwyer said the SDA worked closely with employees to identify key issues that were important to them.

The new agreement reflects these priorities, Dwyer said, with improved penalty rates and increased minimum wage rates for each grade over three years, and provisions for part-time employees to request an increase in contract hours to the average they worked over a 12-month period, and the right for casual employees to request to be made permanent after 12 months working a pattern of hours on an ongoing basis.

The new agreement also involves a change to Bunnings’ rostering system, replacing the ‘bank of hours’ system it previously used with a more standard system of rosters and working hours more closely aligned with the Award.

“Importantly, this includes consultation with employees before any changes to their regular roster can be made,” Dwyer said.

The new agreement also for the first time includes five days family and domestic violence leave for all employees.