A message from Natalie Lang

1 September 2022

Dear members,

After eight incredible years in this role, I will be standing down as Secretary. My last day at the ASU will be Friday 16 September.

Working for you and all our ASU members has been a pleasure and an honour; leaving the ASU is truly the hardest decision that I have had to make in my working life.

I have accepted a new role at the Australian Council of Trade Unions as the Director Education and Capacity Building. I am excited to continue to build workers’ power to improve their working lives and achieve a more just society.

I am thrilled to announce that with the strong support of myself and Deputy Secretary Judith Wright, your ASU Executive (comprised of elected union delegates from across our union), has unanimously appointed Angus McFarland to the position of Secretary.

Angus McFarland has been with the ASU since 2010 and has been my Assistant Secretary since 2015, leading our campaigns and workplace organising in the community and disability sectors. Angus is a strategic thinker, a strong negotiator, a remarkable unionist and I wish Angus, Judith, and the whole ASU all the very best for the future.




(L-R Judith Wright, Natalie Lang, Angus McFarland)

I joined the team at the ASU as an Organiser under Sally McManus’s leadership 16 years ago back in 2006 - fighting against John Howard’s WorkChoices. Since then, I have been proud to be part of many ASU campaigns with highlights including:

  • Our historic Equal Pay campaign,
  • The fight to keep Sydney Water in public hands,
  • The battle against Alan Joyce’s “work for free at Christmas” plan,
  • The latest struggle for fair pay on the railways,
  • The campaign for the best NDIS,
  • And perhaps closest to my heart – our We Won’t Wait campaign for 10 days paid Family and Domestic Violence leave for all workers.

Our union will win a new industrial entitlement for 11 million workers. A new entitlement that will save lives. There is no doubt that together, we can achieve great things.

I want to personally acknowledge the work of Judith Wright who is, without a doubt, one of the best industrial minds and negotiators in our movement. Thank you for all you do.

I would not leave the ASU if I didn’t know ASU members were in the best hands possible, and I know Angus and Judith will be a phenomenal team. The ASU will continue to achieve historic and great wins for members. 

Finally, I wish to thank every ASU delegate and every ASU member. Thank you for your support and for your important work in making our workplaces safer and fairer.

I will remain a proud member of the ASU and, no matter what challenge or struggle lies ahead, I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with ASU members.

Forever ASU Proud,

Natalie Lang

 




The ASU has been with me every step of the way from helping me secure permanency to protecting my penalty rates
April Disability Support WorkerApril, Taylah and Inala are Disability Support Workers in Campbelltown