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Australian Council of Trade Unions

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ACTU
Australian Council of Trade Unions
PredecessorFederal Council of the Australian Labour Unions (1902–1913)
Commonwealth Council of Federated Unions
(1923–1927)
FoundedMay 1927; 99 years ago (1927-05)
TypeTrade Union Centre
Headquarters365 Queen Street
Location
Region served
Australia
President
Michele O'Neil
Secretary
Melissa Donnelly
Main organ
ACTU Congress
AffiliationsInternational Trade Union Confederation
Websiteactu.org.au
australianunions.org.au
Formerly called
Australasian Council of Trade Unions (1927–1947)
[1]

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), also known as "Australian Unions" is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and eight trades and labour councils. The ACTU is a member of the International Trade Union Confederation.

The President of the ACTU is Michele O'Neil, who was elected on 28 July 2018. The current Secretary is Melissa Donnelly.

Objectives

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The objectives of the ACTU, found in its constitution, are:

  • the socialisation of industry,
  • the organisation of wage and salary earners in the Australian workforce (within the trade union movement),
  • the utilisation of Australian resources to maintain full employment, establish equitable living standards which increase in line with output, and create opportunities for the development of talent.

Organisation

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Executive

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Elected Officers
Position Name Union Term start Time in office Ref
Secretary Melissa Donnelly CPSU 28 August 2026 18 days
President Michele O'Neil TCFUA
CFMEU		 28 July 2018 8 years, 49 days [2][3]
Assistant Secretary Liam O'Brien AWU 10 December 2018 7 years, 279 days [4][2]
Assistant Secretary Joseph Mitchell UWU 15 May 2023 3 years, 123 days [5][2]
Senior Vice President Gerard Dwyer SDA [2][6]
Vice Presidents
Position Name Union
Vice President Lauren Hutchins HSU
Vice President Steven Murphy AMWU
Vice President Michael Kaine TWU
Vice President Annie Butler ANMF
Vice President Correna Haythorpe AEU

Union Aid Abroad

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Australian Trade Union Institute

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Mind Your Head

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History

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Melbourne Trades Hall in Victoria is the "birthplace" of the ACTU.

In Australia, agitation for One Big Union took place from 1911 from two different sectors: from the revolutionary Australian section of the IWW and from the pro-arbitration Australian Workers Union (AWU). At that time the AWU was the largest single Australian union. In 1918 after the collapse of the Australian IWW, a group of militant trade unions (which were opposed to the AWU) attempted to form One Big Union under the name Workers Industrial Union of Australia (WIUA). The hostility between the WIUA and the AWU prevented the formation of One Big Union in Australia.[7] The ACTU was formed as the Australasian Council of Trade Unions in 1927 and was one of the earliest attempts by trade unions to apply the principles of One Big Union earlier explored by more radical syndicalist unions like the CNT or revolutionary industrial unions like the IWW. The ACTU has not achieved the ideals expressed for One Big Union: it remains a council organisation, but it does however represent the majority of Australian trade unions. At its formation in 1927 the ACTU was only seen as representing blue collar trades unions, and only managed to achieve the support of trades unions.

Attempts of Nationalist Stanley Bruce's federal government in 1927 to dismantle the Australian Industrial Relations Commission impelled Australian trade unions to form a national council. The ACTU's Australian trade union "peak body" precursors include state labour councils like the Victorian Trades Hall Council (originating in 1856 as the "Melbourne Trades Hall Committee"), the Labor Council of New South Wales (originally formed in 1870 as the "Sydney Trades and Labor Council") and the Inter-Colonial Trade Union Congress (formed in 1879).

The Work For Victory Pledge affirmed by the ACTU, as depicted in the West Australian newspaper, 17 June 1941
Bob Hawke, ACTU President in 1970

From 1948 peak bodies of white collar associations existed, and from 1969 peak bodies of government employees. The white collar bodies were: the Council of Professional and Commercial Employees Association (1948), which became the Council of White Collar Associations (1954), which amalgamated with the Salaried Employees Consultative Council of New South Wales (1954) to become the Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations (ACSPA) in 1956. The government employee bodies were: the Council of Commonwealth Public Service Organisations (1969) which became the Council of Australian Government Employee Organisations (CAGEO) in 1975. The ACTU successfully integrated these bodies in 1981. After 1981 the ACTU was generally viewed by the Australian media and public as the organisation representing all workers' organisations.

Greg Combet, then-Secretary of the ACTU, speaking on 2 November 2005 shortly after the Government introduced its WorkChoices legislation into the Australian Parliament

The ACTU and Labour Councils have often united Australian working class opinion behind certain initiatives like the eight-hour day or compulsory arbitration. In the early 1980s this unifying impulse created the Prices and Incomes Accord. The ACTU retains a close relationship with the Australian Labor Party: former ACTU President Bob Hawke went on to become the leader of the ALP and then Prime Minister of Australia. Other former ACTU Presidents who went on to become members of Federal Parliament are: Simon Crean (president 1985–90), Martin Ferguson (1990–96), Jennie George (1996–99), and Ged Kearney (2010–18). The November 2007 election win by the Labor Party, saw the election of a number of union officials to the parliament (Commonwealth) including Bill Shorten (Australian Workers Union) and Greg Combet (former ACTU Secretary).

In the late 1980s and early 1990s the ACTU was influential in a move to forcibly amalgamate smaller unions into so called "super unions". The ACTU's plans envisaged 20 super unions organised on an industrial basis. While many amalgamations occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s (in part under the influence of changed industrial law), there are still many unions, and union coverage is often organised by historical amalgamation, not by industry.

In 2026, McManus and O'Neil announced their resignations from their respective posts. McManus's resignation is to take effect from 31 August and O'Neil's will take effect before the end of the year.[8] Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) Melissa Donnelly has been announced as the next secretary of the ACTU.[9]

National campaigns

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Australian union members protesting against WorkChoices in Melbourne, November 2005

In the lead up to the 2007 federal election, the ACTU campaigned actively against the Howard government's WorkChoices legislation, which included an advertising campaign[10] and public rallies.[11] This campaign was originally called "Your Rights at Work" but is now known as "Secure Jobs. Better Future"[12] and was considered a success in making industrial relations an important election issue by both marketing companies[13] and even MP Joe Hockey, the Federal Workplace Relations Minister, who said "This is the most sophisticated political plan that we have seen in Australia."[14] One of the rallies was called Fill the "G" , attended by 50,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and broadcast to other similar rallies throughout the country.[15][16] A previous national rally had a reported attendance of 500,000 around Australia.[17][18]

The ACTU's current campaigns[19] include the campaign to win paid pandemic leave for all workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the For the workers campaign[20] to oppose Commonwealth Government proposals to change Australian workplace laws, and the promotion of a Working from home Charter.[21]

Following the 2007 Australian federal election, the ACTU's primary focus was the campaign to restore workers rights under the banner of the Your Rights at Work campaign.[12] In addition to this campaign, the ACTU also ran a number of other campaigns, including workplace health and safety,[22] working with other unions on the Your Rights at Telstra campaign and supporting the Rights on Site campaign.[23]

The ACTU has also launched a service by which workers can join their applicable union directly through the ACTU. This self-titled "one stop shop" for union membership is Australian Unions.[24]

In 2008, the ACTU launched a campaign to make paid maternity leave a new national employment standard.[25]

In 2011, the ACTU launched a campaign to address the spread of casual, contract and other forms of insecure work in Australian workplaces.[26] Part of this involved an inquiry into insecure work.[27]

In 2023, the ACTU and other big unions, including the Health Services Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, began a campaign calling for a levy to be imposed on non-union workers after the union was able to raise wages through collective bargaining.[28]

ACTU Congress

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Leadership

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Presidents

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Name Term start Term end Time Other offices held
1 Billy Duggan 1927 1934 7 years Councillor for the City of Coburg (1924–30); President of Melbourne Trades Hall Council (1926–1927); Mayor of Coburg (1928–29); President of the Victorian Labor Party (1928–1929)
2 Albert Monk, CMG 1934 1943 9 years Secretary of the Melbourne Trades Hall Council (1933–1938); 2nd Secretary of the ACTU
3 Percy Clarey 1943 1949 6 years Member of the Victorian Legislative Council (1937–1949); Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Bendigo (1949–60)
(2) Albert Monk, CMG 1949 1969 20 years
4 Bob Hawke, AC, GCL 1969 1980 11 years Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Wills (1980–92); President of the Labor Party (1973–78); Leader of the Labor Party (1983–91); Leader of the Opposition (1983); Prime Minister (1983–91).
5 Cliff Dolan, AO 1980 1985 5 years
6 Simon Crean, AC 1985 1990 5 years Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Hotham (1990–2013); Deputy Leader of the Labor Party (1998–2001); Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition (2001–03)
7 Martin Ferguson, AM 1990 1996 6 years Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Batman (1996–2013)
8 Jennie George, AO 1996 2000 4 years Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Throsby (2001–10)
9 Sharan Burrow, AC 2000 2010 10 years President of International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (2004–06); President of International Trade Union Confederation (2006–10); General Secretary of International Trade Union Confederation (2010–2022)
10 Ged Kearney 1 July 2010 2 February 2018 7 years, 216 days Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Batman (2018–19) and Cooper (2019–present)
11 Michele O'Neil 17 July 2018 Incumbent 8 years, 60 days

Secretaries

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Name Term start Term end Time Other offices held
1 Charlie Crofts 1927 1943 16 years President of Melbourne Trades Hall Council (1924–1925); President of the Victorian Labor Party (1926–27)
2 Albert Monk, CMG 1943 1949 6 years 2nd President of the ACTU
3 Reg Broadby 1949 1956 7 years President of the Melbourne Trades Hall Council (1944–45), President of the Victorian Labor Party (1949–50)
4 Harold Souter AO 1956 1977 21 years
5 Peter Nolan 1977 1983 6 years Commissioner of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (1984–1997)
6 Bill Kelty, AC 1983 2000 17 years
7 Greg Combet, AM 2000 2007 7 years Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Charlton (2007–13)
8 Jeff Lawrence 2007 2012 5 years Vice President of the New South Wales Labor Party (2002–07)
9 Dave Oliver 24 May 2012 15 March 2017 5 years
10 Sally McManus 15 March 2017 28 August 2026 9 years
10 Melissa Donnelly 28 August 2026 Incumbent 18 days

Affiliated trade and labour councils

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Eight trade and labour councils are affiliated with the ACTU:[29]

Location Organisation Name Alternate Name Founded Members
New South Wales New South Wales Labor Council of New South Wales Unions NSW 1871 600,000
Victoria (state) Victoria Victorian Trades Hall Council We Are Union 1856 500,000
Queensland Queensland Queensland Council of Unions Queensland Unions 1885 400,000
South Australia South Australia SA Unions 1884 160,000
Western Australia Western Australia Unions WA 1891 150,000
Tasmania Tasmania Tasmanian Trades & Labor Council Unions Tasmania 1883 50,000
Australian Capital Territory Australian Capital Territory Trades and Labour Council of the Australian Capital Territory Unions ACT 1931 33,000
Northern Territory Northern Territory Northern Territory Trades & Labor Council Unions NT 1973 15,000

Current affiliated organisations

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Dis-affiliated organisations

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In 2024, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia disaffiliated from the ACTU, citing the latter's support for the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) being placed into administration by the Federal Government. The CFMEU had been suspended from the ACTU and the Australian Labor Party following allegations of criminal misconduct in its construction division.[30][31]

Honours and awards

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  • 2019: Timor-Leste Medal of the Order of Timor-Leste | For the union movement of Australia, who showed solidarity in the face of our struggle and contributed to the process of self-determination for the Timorese people.[32]

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ↑ B. Donn, Clifford; Dunkley, Grahame (December 1977). "The Founding of the ACTU: The Origins of a Central Trade Union Federation". Journal of Industrial Relations. 19 (4): 404–423. doi:10.1177/002218567701900405.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Elected Officers". actu.org.au. Australian Council of Trade Unions. Archived from the original on 15 August 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ms. Michele O'Neil". directory.gov.au. Australian Government. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Mr. Liam O'Brien". directory.gov.au. Australian Government. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Mr. Joseph Mitchell". directory.gov.au. Australian Government. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Mr. Gerard Dwyer". directory.gov.au. Australian Government. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Parties to the Award, Introduction, page 11". Australian Trade Union Archives. University of Melbourne Archives. ISBN 0908029497. Retrieved 29 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)
  8. ↑ Manfield, Evelyn (27 July 2026). "ACTU leaders Sally McManus and Michele O'Neil step aside for 'new generation'". ABC News. Archived from the original on 27 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Kelly, Cait (10 August 2026). "New head of Australian trade union movement named after Sally McManus steps down". Guardian Australia. Archived from the original on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Ewart, Heather (14 July 2005). "Ads argue the case for and against IR changes". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 January 2006.
  11. ↑ "November 30: Take action all around Australia". yourrightsatwork.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007.
  12. 1 2 "Australian Unions - We're for workers". Australian Unions.
  13. ↑ "Campaign Results". Archived from the original on 30 August 2007.
  14. ↑ Kirk, Alexandra (13 June 2007). "ABC transcript of radio interview with Joe Hockey". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  15. ↑ Holroyd, Jane (30 November 2006). "IR laws 'just not cricket'". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  16. ↑ Rennie, Reko (30 November 2006). "March stops city traffic". The Age. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  17. ↑ "Thousands protest against IR laws". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 15 November 2005. Archived from the original on 5 January 2008.
  18. ↑ Barnes, Renee (15 November 2005). "Protesters engulf Melbourne CBD". The Age. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  19. ↑ "Campaigns". Australian Unions.
  20. ↑ "For the workers | Australian Unions". fortheworkers.australianunions.org.au.
  21. ↑ "Working From Home Charter | Australian Unions". action.australianunions.org.au.
  22. ↑ "Highest Standards for Harmonised OHS Laws Petition". Australian Council of Trade Unions. Archived from the original on 2 September 2008.
  23. ↑ "Rights on Site website". Rightsonsite.org.au. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  24. ↑ "For The Workers | Join Your Union Today". Australian Unions. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  25. ↑ "Campaign | Paid Parental Leave". Australian Council of Trade Unions. Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  26. ↑ Kelly, Joe (16 May 2012). "ACTU out to reverse work 'casualisation', improve bargaining power". The Australian. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  27. ↑ Kelly, Joe (14 May 2012). "Stoush brews over full-time job orders". The Australian.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  28. ↑ Thompson, Angus (10 January 2023). "Unions push for a wage deal levy for non-members". The Age. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  29. ↑ "Affiliates and TLCs". Australian Council of Trade Unions. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  30. ↑ Johnson, Chris (9 September 2024). "Big blue-collar union quits ACTU in support of CFMEU". PS News. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  31. ↑ Tomevska, Sara; Yallop, Rania (17 July 2024). "CFMEU suspended from Federal Labor Party and ACTU, placed in administration amid criminal allegations". SBS News. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  32. ↑ "Timor-Leste thanks Australian unions for independence aid". SBS Australia. SBS News. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
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