http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/sharan-burrow/ Sharan Burrow was first elected President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions in May 2000, the second woman to hold the position. She was elected to a fourth term in June in 2009. In December 2004, she became the first woman to be elected President of the world union body, the International Confederation of Free Trade Union, which represents 148 million workers in 231 affiliated organisations across 150 countries. She is also a member of the governing body of the International Labour Organisation. Sharan grew up in western NSW in a strong union family – her great, great grandfather took part in the shearers’ strike of 1891-2 and was one of the first organisers for the Australian Workers’ Union. After teaching in high schools in regional NSW, Sharan became President of the Australian Education Union in 1992. Sharan is also a founding member of the Southern Cross Climate Coalition, formed in 2008 by the ACTU, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Climate Institute and the Australian Council of Social Service to respond to the vast challenges of climate change in Australia. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/new-paid-maternity-leave-is-not-perfect-but-its-a-step/ As I prepare to pack my bags for the somewhat daunting task of representing almost 200 million workers around the world as head of the global union movement, I’m proud that Australian unions – in partnership with so many other women from our community – have stood together and delivered paid parental leave after 30 years. When I joined my first union, we had just won maternity leave in our workplace: the basic right for women to return to their job after the birth of their child.  Never did I imagine that it would be three decades and more before we achieved a national paid parental leave scheme. At last - paid parental leave for all working women. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Sharan Burrow) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/new-paid-maternity-leave-is-not-perfect-but-its-a-step/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/new-paid-maternity-leave-is-not-perfect-but-its-a-step/#item3355 Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:34:59 +0000 Sharan Burrow | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/libs-still-hope-the-workchoices-zombie-can-rise/ While you are dining out or at the shops over the summer holidays, spare a few minutes to think about the young person serving you and how their rights at work have changed over the past two years. Two years ago, that person was working under WorkChoices. Chances are they had no protection from unfair dismissal and little or no job security. It was possible they were employed on an Australian Workplace Agreement, which had stripped their minimum conditions to the bare basics. Their employer could simply ignore them if they and their workmates wanted to join together to collectively bargain for better pay and conditions. And if they chose to join a union or even ask a union into their workplace, they ran the risk of harassment and discrimination from their boss. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Sharan Burrow) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/libs-still-hope-the-workchoices-zombie-can-rise/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/libs-still-hope-the-workchoices-zombie-can-rise/#item2072 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:50:32 +0000 Sharan Burrow | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-unions-will-remain-the-voice-of-workers-in-labor/ There’s been a lot of talk recently about so-called “green shoots” springing up in our ravaged economy. Some commentators have grasped a recent bounce in the stock market, a few surprisingly strong profit results overseas, and a benign sense of business confidence as evidence that the economy is on the path to recovery. Well, it is time for a reality check. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Sharan Burrow) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-unions-will-remain-the-voice-of-workers-in-labor/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-unions-will-remain-the-voice-of-workers-in-labor/#item762 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:30:39 +0000 Sharan Burrow | Author bios | The Punch