Sharan Burrow

Sharan Burrow

Sharan Burrow is general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, a position she has held since June 2010. Prior to this, she was president of ITUC from November 2006 and president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions from November 2004. She is the first woman to have held any of these positions. Sharan began her career as a high school teacher in New South Wales. She became an organiser for the NSW Teachers’ Federation and was president of the Bathurst Trades and Labour Council during the 1980s. Sharan was elected senior vice-president of the NSW Teachers’ Federation and became president of the Australian Education Union in 1992. From 1995 to 2000, Sharan was vice-president of Education International, the international organisation of education unions representing 24 million members worldwide. In May 2000, she became the second woman to be elected president of the ACTU. In October 2000, Sharan also became the first woman to be elected president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions Asia Pacific Region Organisation. She has also served as a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and a member of the Stakeholder Council of the Global Reporting Initiative. Sharan also serves as an honorary co-chair for the World Justice Project, which works to lead a global, multidisciplinary effort to strengthen the Rule of Law for the development of communities of opportunity and equity.

The International Trade Union Confederation's Sharan Burrow on the fight for a better business world

The International Trade Union Confederation is determined that no worker is left behind in the transition to a new economy. We spoke to its general secretary Sharan Burrow about human rights, fair supply chains and the fight for a better business...