Key facts
- Sally McManus is stepping down as secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).
- She has served as ACTU secretary for nine and a half years.
- McManus has been a union official for 33 years, with 22 years in leadership roles.
- Key achievements include advocating for "same job, same pay" protections and criminalizing wage theft.
- McManus plans to focus on personal health, including cochlear implant surgery, and leisure activities like birdwatching.
- Melissa Donnelly will take over as ACTU secretary on August 31.
Sally McManus is stepping down as the secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) after nearly a decade in the role, marking the end of her 33-year career as a union official. McManus, who led the ACTU alongside president Michele O’Neil, the first all-female leadership team in the organization's history, was praised by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a "giant of the labour movement."
During her tenure, McManus was instrumental in advocating for significant worker-friendly reforms, including "same job, same pay" protections, the right to disconnect, criminalization of wage theft, and improved standards for gig economy workers. Her time as secretary spanned multiple federal governments and significant economic disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic and various industrial relations debates.
McManus acknowledged the intense pressure and personal attacks she faced, including death threats, which she attributed in part to the evolving nature of social media. She expressed concerns about the future impact of artificial intelligence on workers' rights and highlighted the growing political influence of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party as a concern for the labor movement.
Looking ahead, McManus believes a four-day work week is a realistic future goal, especially if AI significantly reduces the need for human labor. She also addressed past allegations of corruption within the CFMEU, stating that some former leaders had betrayed union values and that such actions had prompted the broader movement to reinforce its ethical boundaries.
Upon her departure, McManus plans to focus on her personal health, including undergoing surgery for a cochlear implant to address hearing loss, and to pursue personal interests such as birdwatching. She will be succeeded by Melissa Donnelly, the current national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, on August 31.