ACTU President Sharan Burrow has today announced she will seek nomination next year for election to General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
Ms Burrow informed the ACTU Executive of her decision this morning.
The ACTU Executive unanimously endorsed and supported her decision and candidacy for the position.
Ms Burrow said she was grateful for the support of her union leadership colleagues.
“As this is a full-time position based in Brussels, if I am successful it would mean resigning from the ACTU Presidency to take up the role after the ITUC Congress in June 2010,” Ms Burrow said.
“In the meantime, I am committed to continuing full steam ahead with the agenda of the ACTU and campaigning for working Australians, including job security, pay equity, skills development, and the creation of jobs through the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
The ITUC is the world’s peak union body, protecting and advancing workers’ rights across the globe.
It represents 168 million workers from 153 countries and territories.
Ms Burrow has been President of ITUC, and its predecessor, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, since 2004.
She has been President of the ACTU since May 2000 and was elected for a third three-year term in June this year.
ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said Ms Burrow had been a tremendous advocate for Australian workers, leading the union movement in its successful Your Rights at Work campaign.
“Sharan’s decision to nominate is a great credit to Australian unions and she has our full support,” he said.
Mr Lawrence said the agenda of Australian unions would continue to move forward and there would be an orderly transition to a new President should the need arise.
