Melissa Donnelly appointed Secretary-elect of the ACTU: ‘She knows the pressures working people are under’

She once led the legal fight to enable public sector workers to protest Howard’s WorkChoices laws, and has since been credited with securing better pay and leave provisions for such workers during her time at the Community and Public Sector Union.

Now at 44, Melissa Donnelly will take the helm of the ACTU, becoming one of the youngest ever people to become Secretary. Her age and gender also represents the “average union member”: that is, a working mother in her forties.

The ACTU announced Melissa as Secretary-elect on Tuesday, replacing the outgoing Sally McManus when she steps down at the end of the month.

Melissa has led the CPSU for the past seven years, which has grown by 23 per cent during that time and has seen the reversal of the outsourcing of government advice and services to big consultancy firms. She is also credited with securing groundbreaking work from home rights, 18 weeks paid parental leave for all new parents and securing improved pay and job protections.

Melissa’s appointment was announced following a meeting of the ACTU Excutive on Monday. She will officially being in the role on the 31st August.

Sally McManus said Melissa had “strong, overwhelming support across all unions” to beomce the 11th Secretary.

“She is 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. With two school aged 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.”

Outgoing ACTU President, Michele O’Neil said Melissa understand what matters to Australian workers and their families.

“She brings her extensive experience of fighting for workers’ pay, job security and flexible work and winning better rights for workers to her new role as ACTU Secretary.

“Melissa is strong, strategic and passionate about fairness and will be a great advocate for Australian workers and our movement.

“I look forward to working with Melissa in the transition to a new ACTU leadership team between now and the end of the year.”

And on being named Secretary-elect, Melissa desribed having the support of the union movement as a “tremendous honour.”

“Following in the footsteps of Sally is no easy task. She has dedicated her life to fighting for fairer, safer and more secure workplaces.

“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.”

Sally McManus and Michele O’Neil announced they would be stepping down as Secretary and President two weeks ago. At the time, we wrote about their powerful record of fighting big power together, including achieving 47 new rights for Australian workers.