Melissa Donnelly, the national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), has been elected as the next head of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). The ACTU executive met on Monday to elect Ms Donnelly, who is 44 years old and will be among the peak body's youngest secretaries.
Ms Donnelly will take on the role following the resignation of Sally McManus. Ms McManus and ACTU president Michele O’Neil announced last month they would be stepping down after eight years, having served as the first all-female leadership team in the ACTU's 99-year history.
In a statement, Ms Donnelly described it as a "tremendous honour" to take on the "important role." She stated her eagerness to "get to work delivering real outcomes for working people and advancing the interests of workers across the country."
Ms Donnelly has led the CPSU for seven years. During her tenure, the CPSU reported a 23% growth in membership. Public service minister Katy Gallagher congratulated Ms Donnelly, noting they had worked "closely together" to rebuild the public service.