Jobs on the line as ACTU moves to change focus

The ACTU will cut jobs as it embarks on a major restructuring to address record-low membership.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus. Picture: AAP

The ACTU will cut jobs from its Melbourne headquarters as it ­embarks on a major restructuring designed to address record-low union membership.

Union sources said the changes, designed to increase the peak union body’s focus on how to “grow” the union movement, would result in redundancies while some positions would dis­appear and new roles would be created.

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At this stage there was a hope net job cuts could be kept to four, but forced redundancies were not ruled out “if necessary”. Appli­cations for voluntary ­redundancies are scheduled to close by October 28 and sources said there could be more staff leaving if they decided to take packages.

Union sources denied the ­restructure was linked to federal Labor’s election defeat or the findings of a post-election confidential review that the ACTU’s $10m Change the Rules campaign was too complex and struggled to connect with voters.

Sources said there had been talk about the restructuring among the ACTU and its affiliates since last year.

Under the proposed model, the ACTU’s director of growth, ­Michael Flinn, a long-time ally and friend of ACTU secretary Sally McManus, will take on an expanded role as director of growth and capacity building.

Ms McManus’s chief of staff, Ben Davison, will become ACTU general manager, and there will be no chief of staff position under the new model.

Mr Flinn and Mr Davison will sit alongside Tom Roberts, the ­director of industrial and social policy, and a fourth position, the director of communications, which is yet to be appointed.

The four positions will sit alongside two campaign directors, with sources saying there would be “fewer senior staff” as there was a desire to reduce the numbers on the “cumbersome” staff leadership group.

A behavioural economics unit has been established, to be led by Kristy Jones, a behavioural economist who lectured at Monash University and worked with the CFMEU. Sources said there would also be positions created for staff with digital specialties.

Union officials said there was a strong desire for the peak union body to be more directly involved in driving strategies to increase membership, and an ­acknowledg­ment the ACTU needed to modernise its approach.

An ACTU representative said the union movement was “determined to do what it takes to grow the union movement and to take on corporate greed in this country”.

“The power of big business has led to record-low wages growth and growing inequality: we want to turn this around,’’ they said.

“We have been having discussions with leaders who represent workers across our country for months. They are united in doing what is necessary to grow our movement.

“This means reaching out to a whole generation of young ­people, many of whom do not even know what unions are or that their right to annual leave, sick leave, superannuation, penalty rates and even Medicare were won by workers in union.’’

The representative said unions wanted to be “cutting edge of technology, making it easier for people to join and stay members if they move jobs”.

“We are having discussions with union delegates and staff about changes we need to make at the ACTU to ensure we are aligned to achieving these aims.’’