HSA Members

Salon rent-a-chairs seem to be popping up all over the place. For employers, it’s a way to make money without taking on the full financial commitment of a staff member, and for stylists, it’s a taste of what it’s like to own your own business and take responsibility for your clientele.   But it’s also […]

At HSA we know the best salons to work in are where the boss and staff are able to work together. That’s why we created the Ethical Salons initiative, to celebrate and recognise those owners who are doing right by their staff, and to give them support where they need it. So what does it […]

Far too many young men and women are afraid to speak up in case their complaints come back to bite them. What can you do when you speak out about exploitation in your workplace and the salon turns against you? Our HSA Ambassador Liz did report her employer’s illegal behaviour, and when the situation got […]

In a massive win for HSA, the Fair Work Commission has rejected Hair and Beauty Australia’s (HABA) bid to slash penalty rates for hair and beauty workers. HSA, with the support of the SDA and AWU, have been fighting the case for two years. HABA pushed for penalty rates to decrease from 200% to 150% […]

When you’re an apprentice, it can feel like you’re being put through the wringer. Bullying, underpayments, and withheld entitlements are all too common with our members, but one HSA Ambassador has broken the cycle, and we’re proud to share her story. Vanessa started her hair styling career six years ago after, beginning at Toowoomba TAFE. […]

Did you know that at HSA, we don’t just cover hair stylists? We also look after beauty therapists and beauticians, too! Today we’re telling the story of one of our WA ambassadors, Mia. Mia earned her Certificate II in Beauty Therapy, and completed her training at a local day spa. Like hair stylists, beauty trainees […]

Next week is Melbourne Cup Day… and the start of the busiest season of the year for hair stylists. 😰 School formals, weddings, Christmas, races – everyone needs their hair and makeup done, and they want it done right. Some of you may remember that Melbourne Cup Day actually used to be a paid public […]

There’s one thing every trained hair stylist has in common – they started their career as an apprentice. Ripping tinfoil, sweeping floors and manning the basin is all in a day’s work. But when something goes wrong, who do you turn to? Ruby-Rose, an HSA ambassador, has come forward with her apprenticeship story, and why […]

As part of National Safe Work Month this October, we’re educating our members around health and safety issues in the salon, especially those that seem to fly under the radar. One of these ongoing problems is head lice. They can be a common occurrence in the salon, but if not taken care of straight away, […]

(Content Warning: This story discusses sexual harassment and sexual assault. If the story is upsetting, we advise you stop reading immediately and reach out to a member of your support team) Did you know that 70% of Australian workers have suffered sexual harassment at some point in their working lives? It’s something that affects the […]