Emma Kingdon, 38, who is based in Melbourne and is one of the youngest people elected to lead the peak union body, will begin her term in December as part of a generational transition for the organisation. In an interview with this masthead, Kingdon said the rapid introduction of AI into workplaces and industries was a major concern.
"It's changing jobs by automating some tasks, and in some cases, it's responsible for the automation of entire jobs," she said. "There are issues around employers using it for surveillance, and AI making management decisions on things like rosters."
Kingdon also took aim at employers, especially big businesses, saying they needed to do a "much better job" at consulting workers about changes including AI and job losses. She cited NAB's recent announcement that it would axe 2,500 jobs, calling it "outrageous" in a cost-of-living crisis.
However, she said there was more that could be done "on all levels", including by the government, which has created an Office of AI and was developing mandatory requirements for large AI data centres.
The share of Australians holding union membership recovered from a record low to 13 per cent in 2024, driven largely by young workers. Kingdon said they were "feeling like the system is rigged and stacked against them".
Kingdon, a mother of two who grew up in Rockingham, Western Australia, and worked at KFC, said cost of living remained the No.1 issue for working people. She pledged to push for higher wage growth and support for workplace flexibility, including working from home and a four-day week.
Outgoing president Michele O'Neil described Kingdon as a "highly effective and formidable union campaigner", while incoming secretary Melissa Donnelly said Kingdon had "never left a negotiating table or a picket line without getting the best possible outcomes for her members".