|
|
|
Mr Bill Shorten, National Secretary of the Australian Workers Union (AWU). Copyright AWU.
|
Bill Shorten was first elected as National Secretary of the AWU in 2001, and was re-elected unopposed in 2005. As National Secretary, Bill is responsible for the overall running of the union, which has 125,000 members and 200 staff nationwide. The AWU represents working Australians from all walks of life; AWU members build railways, work in underground mines, mill paper and asphalt roads. They also farm fish and grow tobacco. Some of the major industries in which AWU members work include: pastoral and agricultural, aluminium, aviation, health, local government, oil and gas, metalliferous mining, civil construction and steel.
Born in Melbourne in 1967, Bill studied at Monash University where he completed Arts and Law degrees. Bill started work as an organiser with the Victorian Branch of the AWU 13 years ago, and was involved in workplace campaigns that attracted new members to the union including oil and gas workers, jockeys, fruit pickers and manufacturing workers.
In 1998, Bill was elected as the AWU's Victorian Secretary, a position he continues to hold. He is the first person in the AWU's history since 1939 to be both a National and State Secretary.
Bill was admitted to the bar as a practicing solicitor and also holds a MBA (from the Melbourne Business School), which he undertook whilst working at the union. He is an active member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), the President of the Victorian Branch of the ALP and a member of the ALP National Executive. He is also a member of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Executive, a director of the Superannuation Trust of Australia, and a director of the Victorian Funds Management Corporation.
In March 2006, Bill was pre-selected as the Labor candidate for Maribyrnong - in Melbourne's west and north west suburbs - at the next federal election.
|
