The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) is the peak union body in Queensland with 35 affiliated unions covering around 350 000 Queensland workers. The QCU is the state branch of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).

The fundamental roles of the QCU are to:

• support and co-ordinate affiliates to improve industrial conditions and increase membership;
• be the public voice of the Queensland union movement;
• influence government and public policy at an industrial, political and social level;
• build awareness of the union movement through education, training and campaigning; and
• represent the Queensland movement statewide, nationally and internationally.

Some of the functions and services of the QCU are:

• research and provision of information and material for affiliated unions
• presentation of state general wage case
• test cases in the Industrial Relations Commission (ie casual loading, termination change and redundancy)
• co-ordination of multi-union negotiations and awards/agreements
• submissions for committees of inquiry and review (ie Work and Family Test Case, child labour review)
• organising major campaigns
• training of delegates