12 Queensland Labour Union Leaders to Know Today

Last updated: 6 August 2026.

Queensland's labour movement is broad, practical and deeply connected to the everyday systems that keep the state working. It reaches from hospitals and classrooms to ports, factories, public services, transport networks and community organisations. The people leading those unions are often doing more than negotiating pay and conditions. They are helping members make sense of change, building confidence in collective action and giving workers a clearer voice in decisions that affect their lives.

This guide introduces 12 current leaders who sit in important positions across that landscape. It includes the Queensland Council of Unions, major state branches and unions with strong public, education, health, manufacturing, transport and maritime connections. The aim is to give readers a useful starting point for understanding who is shaping labour conversations in Queensland today.

The list is a recognition directory rather than a numbered order. A union leader's work looks different depending on the sector, the members, the bargaining environment and the communities involved. The useful question is not who is first. It is what each context can teach us about trust, representation, courage and the practical work of leading people through pressure.

Why these Queensland labour union leaders matter

Union leadership is leadership in public. Members expect their representatives to explain difficult issues clearly, stand up for people when the stakes are high and keep the organisation connected to the workplaces it exists to serve. That makes the work unusually visible, especially when a dispute, agreement, safety issue or policy change reaches the wider community.

The leaders below also show that labour leadership is not one narrow job. Some work at the peak-body level, bringing different unions together around shared concerns. Others lead large occupational groups, represent a particular branch or carry responsibility for a profession with a strong public purpose. Across those settings, the best work combines strategy with listening and advocacy with disciplined follow-through.

1. Jacqueline King

General Secretary, Queensland Council of Unions

Jacqueline King serves as General Secretary at the Queensland Council of Unions. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The QCU describes Jacqueline King as General Secretary, elected on 31 July 2023, with a background across industrial relations, work health and safety, skills and training. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

2. Terry Burke

President, Queensland Council of Unions

Terry Burke serves as President at the Queensland Council of Unions. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The QCU describes Terry Burke as President and notes more than 45 years as a unionist, including long service as General Secretary of the IEUA-QNT. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

3. Sarah Beaman

Secretary, Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union

Sarah Beaman serves as Secretary at the Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

QNMU describes Sarah Beaman as Secretary and records her experience as a registered nurse across public, private and aged care settings, alongside a long history of member activism. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

4. Peter Allen

Queensland Branch Secretary, Rail, Tram and Bus Union

Peter Allen serves as Queensland Branch Secretary at the Rail, Tram and Bus Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The RTBU lists Peter Allen as Queensland Branch Secretary. An RTBU account of the Aurizon bargaining campaign also describes him as its lead negotiator. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

5. Rohan Webb

State Secretary, Queensland and Northern Territory Branch, Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union

Rohan Webb serves as State Secretary, Queensland and Northern Territory Branch at the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The AMWU says Rohan Webb has been State Secretary of its Queensland and Northern Territory Branch since 2012, after working as a fitter and turner and then as an organiser. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

6. Stacey Schinnerl

Queensland Branch Secretary, Australian Workers' Union

Stacey Schinnerl serves as Queensland Branch Secretary at the Australian Workers' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The AWU lists Stacey Schinnerl as Queensland Branch Secretary. The union records that she became the first woman to hold an AWU branch secretary role in 2022. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

7. Aaron Johnston

Queensland Branch Secretary, Maritime Union of Australia

Aaron Johnston serves as Queensland Branch Secretary at the Maritime Union of Australia. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The MUA's Queensland branch page lists Aaron Johnston as Branch Secretary. The Queensland branch is part of the maritime union movement represented through the QCU. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

8. Kate Ruttiman

General Secretary, Queensland Teachers' Union

Kate Ruttiman serves as General Secretary at the Queensland Teachers' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The QTU says Kate Ruttiman began her union career in 1997 after working as a teacher and has held organising, industrial advocacy and senior union roles. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

9. Brendan Crotty

Deputy General Secretary, Queensland Teachers' Union

Brendan Crotty serves as Deputy General Secretary at the Queensland Teachers' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The QTU describes Brendan Crotty as Deputy General Secretary and records his earlier work as a manual arts teacher and union organiser. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

10. Leah Mertens

Deputy General Secretary, Queensland Teachers' Union

Leah Mertens serves as Deputy General Secretary at the Queensland Teachers' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The QTU lists Leah Mertens as Deputy General Secretary and records her previous work as Assistant Secretary, Professional Issues. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

11. Cresta Richardson

President, Queensland Teachers' Union

Cresta Richardson serves as President at the Queensland Teachers' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

The QTU describes Cresta Richardson as President and records her experience as a primary teacher, acting deputy principal and head of curriculum. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

12. Grant Burton

Assistant Secretary, Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union

Grant Burton serves as Assistant Secretary at the Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union. The role sits in a part of Queensland's labour movement with real reach into the lives of workers, families and communities, which means leadership is measured in both public advocacy and the quality of everyday representation.

QNMU describes Grant Burton as an Assistant Secretary and records his long membership, nursing experience and work as a grassroots activist. Read the organisation's current leadership information for the role and context behind this entry. What stands out is the connection between formal responsibility and practical service: people trust union leaders when they can see how decisions return to the workplace.

What these leaders have in common

The common thread is not one industry, one ideology or one career path. It is the responsibility to turn member concerns into clear priorities, credible arguments and action that people can understand. That work depends on communication, but it also depends on the quieter disciplines of preparation, listening, relationship building and staying close to the people affected by a decision.

There is also a useful lesson here for leaders outside the union movement. Culture is not a separate project that sits beside strategy. It appears in the way an organisation handles disagreement, explains trade-offs, makes room for different voices and follows through on the promises it has made. Union leaders operate in that reality every day.

Frequently asked questions

What is a labour union leader?

A labour union leader is an elected or appointed representative who helps guide a union's strategy, advocacy, bargaining and member support. The exact role depends on the union and the level of responsibility, from a workplace or branch to a state or peak body.

How do union leaders influence Queensland workplaces?

They influence workplaces through bargaining, member representation, public advocacy, education, campaigns and participation in industrial relations processes. Their work can affect pay, safety, staffing, professional standards and the way workers are heard by employers and government.

Why are there different types of union leaders on this list?

Queensland's labour movement covers many sectors and kinds of work. Including peak-body, branch and profession-based leaders gives a clearer picture of how representation works across the state.

How can I learn more about a leader?

Start with the organisation link in each entry. It will give you the current role, the union's own description of its work and the best place to follow future updates.

Related reading

If you want to keep exploring practical leadership, read the Working Genius Glossary, the Working Genius implementation guide and ways to build a Working Genius culture.

About Jonno White

Jonno White helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. He is a keynote speaker, leadership consultant and author who works with leadership teams to make culture practical rather than motivational: something people can use on Monday morning, not a feeling that fades by Friday.

A practical next step

If your leadership team is navigating a difficult people decision, email jonno@consultclarity.org with the context and the decision you are trying to make. Jonno will reply in writing with a practical next step.