Tony Sheldon (trade unionist)

Anthony Vincent Sheldon (born 26 August 1961)[1] is an Australian trade unionist, politician and former National Secretary of the Transport Workers Union (TWU). He is a well-known figure in the Australian labour movement, and in May 2012 Sheldon was named one of the most powerful union leaders in Australia by the Power Index.[2]

As TWU National Secretary, Sheldon led the widely praised TWU 'Safe Rates' campaign, where his negotiation skills and leadership of the TWU's campaigning were instrumental in garnering community and political support for the Road Safety Remuneration Act 2012, landmark legislation which is aimed at improving safety and conditions in the road transport industry.[3] Under Sheldon's leadership the TWU is leading campaigns for the future for the Australian aviation industry. In December 2011 Sheldon restructured elements of the TWU's national office, with a stated view to position the TWU for the future, but the move received some criticism from rival unions and disgruntled former members of staff.[4]

Sheldon has published a number of pieces addressing the challenges facing our community and the labour movement as a whole including; Reclaiming our Values; Reclaiming Freedom; and No More Business as Usual.

In 2014 Tony was elected Chairperson of the International Transport Workers’ Federation Road Transport Sector. In this role Sheldon continues his pursuit of building a safe and fair transport industry where workers have and use their collective power guided by clear, strong principles.

In October 2015, Sheldon led a delegation to the United Nations labour body, the International Labour Organisation, to secure support for a plan based on the Australian Safe Rates model to tackle unfair and unsafe remuneration as the root cause of the high global death toll in trucking.

Born in Caringbah, Sydney, Sheldon attended De La Salle College (Cronulla, NSW) and is father to a son and daughter. He has completed post graduate studies in Industrial Law at the University of NSW and is a graduate of the Harvard University Trade Union program. He worked as a cleaner, bartender and garbage collector, and his professional union activity began in 1988. He joined the TWU in the 1990s.

He led the NSW branch of TWU from 1999 to 2008 and has been TWU National Secretary since 2006.[5][6] In 2008, Sheldon was accused of running a joint employer-union training fund. A review by professional services firm Deloitte noted a lack of governance arrangements in the operation of the fund, which should have been in place to ensure its formal separation from the TWU.[7]

Sheldon serves as Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, a member of the Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch) Administrative Committee, as a Board member to TWU Super and is a former Senior Vice President of the Australian Labor Party.[8]