Union women rise

Hobart recently hosted the Tasmanian edition of the Anna Stewart Memorial Project, uniting union women to build skills, share experiences, and strengthen their role in shaping our movement.

The Project offers an immersive five-day hands-on training program fostering women’s union participation and leadership. Sessions focused on developing organising skills and highlighted the pivotal role unions play in advancing workplace gender equity. The IEU proudly sponsored member participation.

The week concluded with the 2025 Unions Tasmania Women’s Conference – the largest annual gathering for union women to meet, network, and organise around women’s workplace rights.

Unions Tasmania Secretary Jess Munday opened with remarks on political engagement for working women, AI’s impact on jobs, and ensuring Family and Domestic Violence Leave is stigma-free, widely used, and expanded.

Special guest, American teacher union organiser Jollene Levid, spoke about organising medical workers and educators in Los Angeles, outlining ‘No Short Cuts’ organising – using mini-campaigns as structure tests – and stressing that its collective power, not action alone, that compels employers to act.

Another highlight was a galvanising address by ACTU Secretary Sally McManus on ‘How to kick ass and influence people.’

Sally McManus spoke about her working-class roots and the experience of challenging powerful people, often men. She shared lessons learned from her own journey in leadership and activism.

Her five tips: Use being underestimated as a superpower, take on scary challenges, treat setbacks as growth opportunities, be unapologetically yourself, and value mentors – seeking them or becoming one.

In true union spirit, the day’s raffle – supporting Working It Out, Tasmania’s sexuality, gender, and intersex support service – featured eight major prizes!

IEU ASMP participants Jacinta Price, Rebecca Britton and Kate Marr

IEU Organiser Abbey Butler presents at the conference