The PM called Sally McManus a giant of the Labor movement. Now she just wants to go birding
Guardian AU
β’Sun, 16 Aug 2026 15:00:28 GMT
π° What Happened
Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, is preparing to step down at the end of the month after nearly a decade in the role. She announced her departure the same day as ACTU president Michele O'Neil, with the Prime Minister calling the pair 'giants of the labour movement'. McManus now wants to take a break and go birding after more than three decades as a union official.
π The Backstory
McManus took the top job amid fierce criticism, once being shouted down on live television for saying union members were right to break 'unjust' industrial laws. Over her tenure she pushed the Albanese government and business on wages and worker protections, helping reshape Australia's industrial landscape and working with three prime ministers. She also weathered death threats and the constant pressure of leading the peak union body.
π― Why It Matters
McManus was a central figure in Australian wage and workplace politics for a decade. Her departure marks the end of an era and raises questions about the future direction of the union movement and its influence over Labor policy, at a moment when living standards and bargaining power are pressing national issues.
Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, is preparing to step down at the end of the month after nearly a decade in the role. She announced her departure the same day as ACTU president Michele O'Neil, with the Prime Minister calling the pair 'giants of the labour movement'. McManus now wants to take a break and go birding after more than three decades as a union official.
McManus took the top job amid fierce criticism, once being shouted down on live television for saying union members were right to break 'unjust' industrial laws. Over her tenure she pushed the Albanese government and business on wages and worker protections, helping reshape Australia's industrial landscape and working with three prime ministers. She also weathered death threats and the constant pressure of leading the peak union body.
McManus was a central figure in Australian wage and workplace politics for a decade. Her departure marks the end of an era and raises questions about the future direction of the union movement and its influence over Labor policy, at a moment when living standards and bargaining power are pressing national issues.