Sally McManus leaves a towering legacy as Melissa Donnelly elected ACTU Secretary-elect

The Executive Committee of SA Unions today celebrated the legacy of outgoing ACTU Secretary Sally McManus and congratulated Melissa Donnelly on her appointment as the ACTU’s Secretary-elect.

Union leaders acknowledged the remarkable contributions which Sally has made to the lives of Australian workers and their families over almost a decade leading the national union movement.  

When Sally was elected to lead the ACTU in 2017, workers across Australia faced a federal Coalition government determined to cut pay and undermine workplace rights. Responding to this threat was a crossroads for the union movement.  

Under Sally’s leadership, the union movement has seen a dramatic renewal and secured major victories for working people. Workers in their unions successfully fought off legislative attacks by the Turnbull and Morrison governments which would have made workplaces more dangerous and jobs less secure.  

With Sally at the helm, workers have since won dozens of new workplace rights, which have delivered historic pay increases, reduced the gender pay gap, closed loopholes and ended rorts, and made Australian jobs safer and more secure.

Melissa Donnelly was appointed Secretary-elect of the ACTU on Monday, following seven years of service as National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).

Upon joining the CPSU as a young lawyer, Melissa led the fight against the Howard Government after it attempted to gag public sector workers from speaking out against the Coalition’s damaging WorkChoices laws.

As National Secretary of the CPSU, she has overseen significant membership growth and helped secure important new entitlements to parental leave and flexible work.

Melissa will begin as ACTU Secretary after Sally McManus steps down from the role on 30 August.

Quotes attributable to SA Unions Secretary Dale Beasley

“Sally McManus has been a steadfast ally to South Australian workers. She’s marched through the streets of Adelaide and campaigned hard to secure a future for Whyalla.”

“South Australian unions are growing, winning higher wages and better jobs thanks in no small part to Sally’s legacy of fixing broken workplace laws.”

“After almost a decade of leadership, Sally leaves a legacy that will benefit workers and their families for generations to come.”

“Since her days as a young lawyer taking on John Howard’s disastrous WorkChoices laws, Melissa Donnelly has worked tirelessly to stick up for the rights of Australian workers. As ACTU Secretary, she’ll keep fighting for fairer wages, safer workplaces, and more secure jobs”.

“South Australian unions are looking forward to working closely with the ACTU under Melissa’s leadership.”