Sharan Burrow

Sharan Leslie Burrow (born 12 December 1954) is an Australian trade unionist who served as the general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) from 2010 to 2022 and as president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) from 2000 to 2010. She was the first woman to become General Secretary of the ITUC since its foundation in 2006, and was the second woman to become President of the ACTU.

Early involvement in Australian labour movement

Burrow was born in Warren, New South Wales to a family with strong involvement in the labour movement. She graduated in teaching with the University of New South Wales in 1976 and became a teacher in the early 1980s, which allowed her to become involved in the New South Wales Teachers Federation. She later became President of the Bathurst Trades and Labor Council. Before becoming President of the ACTU she was also President of the Australian Education Union (AEU) in 1992.

Presidency of the Australian Council of Trade Unions

Burrow was elected President of the ACTU in May 2000. The most significant public event of her term of office was the ACTU's 'Your Rights at Work' campaign against the Howard government's 'WorkChoices' industrial relations legislation in the lead up to the 2007 Australian federal election. At the election, the Howard government was defeated, and the incoming Rudd government repealed the WorkChoices legislation and replaced it with the Fair Work Act 2009, which was praised by the ACTU for its restoration and protection of many workers' rights (such as the right to organise and negotiate collectively) which has been removed or jeopardised by the earlier legislation.

At the time of her presidency with ACTU, a PPL (Paid Parental Leave) policy program was passed in Australia, for which she said; this would give dignity and respect to women workers.

Burrow continued as President of the ACTU until the end of June 2010 when she demitted office and was elected General Secretary (i.e. leader) of the International Trade Union Confederation.

Involvement in international labour movement

Before her election as General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation on 25 June 2010,

Since 2014, Burrow has been a member of the Global Commission for the Economy and Climate, co-chaired by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nicholas Stern and Paul Polman.

Other activities Corporate boards Danone, Member of the Mission Committee (since 2020)

Non-profit organizations International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR), President European Climate Foundation, Member of the Supervisory Board World Justice Project, Honorary Co-Chair The B Team, Vice-Chair World Resources Institute, Member of the Global Board of Directors