Sally McManus, the secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), is preparing to step down from her position at the end of August. She has served as ACTU secretary for nine and a half years, as part of 33 years as a union official.
McManus announced her departure last month, on the same day that ACTU president Michele O’Neil also revealed plans to step down. Anthony Albanese described both leaders as "giants of the labour movement."
Melissa Donnelly, currently the national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, is set to succeed McManus on 31 August.
During her tenure, McManus has advocated for worker-friendly policies, including wage rises for low-paid workers, same job, same pay protections, and the right to disconnect for workers. She also supported criminalising wage theft and ensuring minimum pay, insurance, and safety standards for gig economy workers.