Secretary Sally McManus and President Michele O’Neil have stepped down from their positions at the ACTU.

Sally and Michele were elected to the ACTU leadership in 2017 and 2018 respectively and are the longest serving leadership team since 1969.

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler, who also sits as ACTU Vice President, said Sally and Michele made an extraordinary collective contribution to the nation’s industrial relations system, delivering a raft of reforms that improved the everyday lives of Australian workers.

“Sally and Michele have demonstrated an unwavering commitment and conviction to securing ongoing IR reforms, fighting for fairer wages and conditions and safer workplaces. Their leadership has helped drive important policy campaigns on workplace rights, secure employment, cost-of-living, tax reforms and gender equity,” Annie said.

“As a predominantly female union, the ANMF commends Sally and Michele for achieving so many significant IR legislative changes which have addressed legacy gender inequity in Australian workplaces. Notably, they helped win historic increases in award and minimum wages, which have benefitted low-paid care workers across the country. We pay tribute to their extraordinary courage and commitment. Their generous and inclusive leadership has built enormous unity and created the platform for strong growth across the movement.”

The ACTU Executive has appointed Melissa Donnelly as the new Secretary-elect of the ACTU.

Melissa was the National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and at 44 will be one of the youngest ever ACTU Secretaries.