New head of Australian trade union movement named after Sally McManus steps down
Guardian AU
•Mon, 10 Aug 2026 10:00:42 GMT
📰 What Happened
Melissa Donnelly, national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, was elected by the ACTU executive as the next head of Australia's peak trade union body, replacing Sally McManus. At 44 she will be among the union movement's youngest secretaries. The change follows McManus and president Michele O'Neil's decision to step down after eight years as the ACTU's first all-female leadership team.
🔍 The Backstory
McManus and O'Neil played a defining role shaping the Albanese government's workplace agenda, including Australia's Fair Work and industrial relations reforms. Donnelly led the public sector union for seven years and described following McManus as 'no easy task'. The handover occurs as the ACTU navigates a shifting political and employment landscape.
🎯 Why It Matters
The ACTU secretary is one of the most influential roles in Australian labour politics, setting the agenda for millions of union members and shaping workplace relations policy. The transition marks a generational change in union leadership and will influence how unions engage with government and employers in coming years.
Melissa Donnelly, national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, was elected by the ACTU executive as the next head of Australia's peak trade union body, replacing Sally McManus. At 44 she will be among the union movement's youngest secretaries. The change follows McManus and president Michele O'Neil's decision to step down after eight years as the ACTU's first all-female leadership team.
McManus and O'Neil played a defining role shaping the Albanese government's workplace agenda, including Australia's Fair Work and industrial relations reforms. Donnelly led the public sector union for seven years and described following McManus as 'no easy task'. The handover occurs as the ACTU navigates a shifting political and employment landscape.
The ACTU secretary is one of the most influential roles in Australian labour politics, setting the agenda for millions of union members and shaping workplace relations policy. The transition marks a generational change in union leadership and will influence how unions engage with government and employers in coming years.