Melissa Donnelly, the national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, will take on the role as the next head of the trade movement in Australia, after the resignation of Sally McManus.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions’ secretary and its president, Michele O’Neil, revealed last month they would be stepping down after eight years together as the first all-female leadership team in the ACTU’s 99-year history, playing a major role in shaping the Albanese government’s workplace agenda.
On Monday, the ACTU executive met to elect 44-year-old Donnelly, who will be among the peak body’s youngest secretaries.
In a statement, Donnelly said it was a “tremendous honour” to take on the “important role”.
“Following in the footsteps of Sally is no easy task,” she said. “She has dedicated her life to fighting for fairer, safer and more secure workplaces.
Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email“I am eager to get to work delivering real outcomes for working people and advancing the interests of workers across the country.
“Most of all, I am looking forward to meeting union members from every corner of Australia and serving alongside you as we work to lift living standards and secure a better future for all.”
Donnelly, who started her career as a lawyer in private practice, has led the CPSU for seven years, rising through the ranks after spearheading the union’s federal court case enabling public servants to participate in the nationwide “Your Rights at Work” campaign, which opposed the Howard government’s WorkChoices legislation.
In a statement, the CPSU said membership had grown by 23% during her tenure, with Donnelly pursuing flexible working arrangements, including a removal of caps on the number of days staff can work from home, delivering 18 weeks’ paid parental leave for both parents and leading the campaign to reverse the government outsourcing work to private consultancy firms.
Under her leadership, the CPSU has recently taken the tax office to the Fair Work Commission over alleged violations of the Albanese government’s “same job same pay” laws.
In a statement, the public service minister, Katy Gallagher, congratulated Donnelly and said the pair had worked “closely together” to rebuild “the public service and strengthened its capacity and capability to deliver for Australians”.
“Melissa has been a tireless advocate for public servants,” Gallagher said. “I know she’ll bring that same determination and experience to standing up for workers across Australia.”
McManus said Donnelly had “overwhelming support” across the union movement, describing her as “smart, strategic and completely focused on the needs of working people”.
“The average union member is a 44-year-old working mother and so is Melissa. She’s a year younger than I was when I took up the office and represents generational change,” she said.
“With two school-age children and having led a large union, she well knows the pressures working people are under. She has my full support, and I look forward to assisting her as she steps into the role.”
