Sally McManus

McManus grew up in Carlingford, New South Wales, Australia and is the daughter of a railway worker and a clerical staffer at a Parramatta pharmaceuticals factory. She has two younger brothers. At the age of 16, McManus was first involved in union activity when she joined with other students supporting a teachers strike protest against mass teacher lay-offs by the Greiner Liberal state government in 1988.

McManus went to Carlingford High School and studied for a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy at Macquarie University where she graduated with a first class honours.[5] At 19, McManus was elected president of the Macquarie University Union. She stopped smoking in the university bar and banned single-use plastics on campus.[6] Deputy Leader of Labor, Tanya Plibersek knew McManus during their time at University.[7]

McManus started work when she was 14 and worked as a shop assistant, Pizza Hut driver, cleaner and call centre worker prior to joining the ACTU’s Trainee Organisers Program in 1994.  From there, she became an Organiser for the Australian Services Union, focusing on workers in call centres and the IT sector. In 2004 she became Branch Secretary of the ASU in NSW and the ACT and oversaw membership grow from 9500 to 12,000.[6]

In 2012, McManus founded the Destroy The Joint campaign formed in response to radio broadcaster Alan Jones' criticism of then Prime Minister Julia Gillard and other prominent women.[8] Her activism was recognised in 2015 when she received an Edna Ryan Award in the Grand Stirrer category.[9]

In 2015, McManus moved to the ACTU as Vice-President and Campaigns Director and was ultimately elected ACTU Secretary two years later.

Her first television interview as Secretary sparked controversy, when McManus refused to back down from the use of illegal industrial action as a method of union campaigning. Asked by presenter Leigh Sales, on the ABC’s news and current affairs program 7.30, if the ACTU would distance itself from such action, McManus responded “There is no way we’ll be doing that,” later adding “I believe in the rule of law when the law is fair and the law is right, but when it’s unjust I don’t think there’s a problem with breaking it.”[10] The statement was widely condemned by business and industry groups, as well as then Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who said he was unlikely to work with her.[11]

In February 2019, her book 'On Fairness' was published by Melbourne University Publishing.[12]

In June 2019, McManus called for the resignation of CFMMEU Victorian state secretary John Setka,[13] after he stated he was pleading guilty to domestic violence charges.[14] Prior to the 2019 Federal Election McManus led the union movement's ‘Change the Rules’ campaign, which pushed for workplace rights.[15] Rallies were held across the country, with worker and supporter turn-outs reaching over 200,000 across the country.[16]

During the COVID-19 pandemic Sally McManus led the successful ACTU campaign for a national wage subsidy scheme, negotiating with the conservative Morrison Government to secure the JobKeeper wage subsidy,[17] and campaigned for Paid Pandemic Leave.[18]

McManus is an enthusiastic player of computer games, and describes herself as “the definition of a total gamer”, who has been playing since the DOS era. She particularly enjoys Metal Gear Solid, on PlayStation and says her favourite of all is Civilization.[19] McManus has a black belt in kung-fu and taekwondo.[6] She is also a keen bird watcher and photographer.[6]

McManus has strong sporting links being a foundation member of both the Western Sydney Wanderers and Greater Western Sydney Giants as well as being a long-term supporter of the Parramatta Eels.[6]

• Sally McManus on Twitter