Assistant Secretary - Geoff Fary

Geoff Fary was elected ACTU Assistant Secretary in 2007.

He has previously worked as a farm labourer, sheep shearer, administrator, Victorian Director of the Trade Union Training Authority (TUTA), Chief of Staff to a federal Cabinet Minister, Human Resources Director, Company Director, CEO of Industrial Relations Victoria.

For the previous four years he has performed the most senior national industrial role at the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers of Australia (APESMA).

Geoff was born and raised in northern Victoria. His career moves have given him the unusual perspective of union, corporate and government experiences that he brings to the challenges faced by the ACTU.

Married with two teenage children, Geoff and his family live at Portarlington, a small seaside township near Melbourne. His interests include being a home handyman, current affairs - and a passionate involvement in Australian Rules football (Essendon). 

Assistant Secretary - Chris Walton

Chris Walton was elected Assistant Secretary of the ACTU in November 2002.

Chris has been working for the union movement since 1986. He worked with the Australian Bank Employees Union, then the amalgamated Finance Sector Union.

In July 1993 Chris participated in an ACTU delegation to the United States. He was profoundly affected by the harshness of the environment for US unions and the effect on ordinary workers of a weak union movement.

This experience has driven Chris to work on strategies to build union membership and the active involvement of workers in their union.

In 1994 Chris set up the ACTU Organising Works Program and was latter the Co-director of the ACTU Organising Centre. He has personally trained thousands of organisers, leaders and union delegates.

Since the Howard Government's unprecedented attack on workers' rights, Chris works closely with Greg Combet and Sharan Burrow, coordinating the Your Rights at Work campaign. He is responsible for:

• Developing the Your Rights at Work campaign website with over 170 000 people signed up;
• Coordinating community events like the Sky Channel rallies;
• The ACTU Political strategy that includes the placement of over 20 Community Campaign Coordinators in marginal seats and the structured telephone contact of 250,000 union members.
  

Chris' continual drive to strengthen the union movement is evidenced by the development of Unions Australia, where Australia workers are able to join a union through a national telephone number and website.