How to become a Union Organiser

Oversees, organises and promotes union recruitment, operations, mass meetings and communications. Provides advice to union officials, delegates and representatives, and represents union members in industrial relations disputes or other proceedings. Acts on behalf of their union members to negotiate working conditions, wages and employment opportunities.

Main tasks

• Oversees and promotes union operations
• Recruits new members to the union
• Advocates for reform or regulation of industry
• Provides advice to other union officials
• Develops effective structures, including union members' communications, at worksites
• Runs mass meetings with union members
• Identifies and develops new and existing delegates, and health and safety representatives
• Uses knowledge of legislation, awards, collective agreements, employment contracts and wage payment systems to represent union members in industrial relations disputes and assist in disciplinary proceedings, tribunals and courts
• Represents union members in negotiations or at conferences
• Visits union members at their place of work to check conditions

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $102,440 a year
• About 89,700 people work in this job group now, and about 102,900 are projected by 2035. (+14.8%)
• Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.

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Questions people ask

How much does a Union Organiser earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $102,440 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Union Organiser a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 15% by 2035, from about 89,700 to about 102,900 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Union Organiser?

Not always. 58% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Union Organiser?

Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04