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QCU welcomes new Industrial Relations Commission appointments

The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) welcomes today’s announcement by Minister for Education and Industrial Relations Hon Grace Grace of four new appointments to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC).

In particular, QCU Senior Vice President and State Secretary of the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union, Beth Mohle, congratulated Ros McLennan, who currently holds the position of General Secretary of the QCU, on her upcoming appointment to the QIRC.

“Ros McLennan has worked in industrial relations in Queensland for the past 26 years – and I have worked very closely with her since her election to senior leadership positions at the QCU over the past five years,” said Ms Mohle.

“Working closely with Ros I have seen first-hand her capacity for hard work, her curiosity and intellectual rigour and her calm and even-handed demeanour.

“These attributes, along with her commitment to ensuring fairness in our society, are essential prerequisites for the position of Industrial Relations Commissioner,” she said.

Current QCU Assistant General Secretary Michael Clifford will be acting General Secretary, providing a wealth of experience and knowledge in campaigning for better wages and conditions for working people.

Under their combined leadership, union membership in QCU-affiliated unions grew by four percent over the last reported year.

Ms Mohle said Ms McLennan had significant industrial relations negotiation and advocacy experience in a number of industries and at peak body level, as well as high level abilities in strategic thinking, governance and organisational capacity.

“Ros has worked very constructively over many years with a wide range of employer, union and community stakeholders.  This includes in roles she has held as a trustee Director on the Board of SunSuper,  board membership of WorkCover Queensland and in dealings with a broad range of community groups including the Queensland Community Alliance.  She is always collaborative, solutions focused and forward looking,” she said.

“Importantly, Ros also brings a regional perspective to the table, having grown up in North Queensland and working as an Organiser in Townsville for the Independent Education Union of Australia – Queensland and Northern Territory Branch (IEUA-QNT) for six years.”

Ms McLennan, 46, also played a major role in the successful joint campaign with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support a “yes” vote in a referendum and introduce fixed four-year terms for government in Queensland.

“Although the QCU will miss Ros and the considerable talents she has brought to the QCU, we know she will make such a significant contribution to the QIRC given her depth of experience and the well-considered perspective she will bring to this important role of Commissioner,” said Ms Mohle.

“On behalf of the QCU I thank Ros for her many years of hard work and dedication on behalf of Queensland working people. I wish her all the very best in her future endeavours.”

The QCU also congratulates the other three recently announced appointees to the QIRC:  Barristers John Dwyer and Cate Hartigan and the Australian Workers Union’s Legal Officer Jacki Power. 

“These four appointments display a diversity of experience and perspectives that will be of great benefit to the deliberations in this important body,” said Ms Mohle.