Ex-union boss Jackson may face long trial

Former Health Services Union boss Kathy Jackson may face a lengthy trial with dozens of witnesses as she fights more than 100 theft and fraud charges, a court has been told.

Jackson, 49, has pleaded not guilty to all 166 charges and she faced the Victorian County Court on Tuesday for a directions hearing.

No trial date was set but prosecutors said the trial could take several months and feature some 90 witnesses.

The former HSU national secretary opted not to cross examine witnesses at a pre-trial committal on Monday when she pleaded not guilty.

Jackson has been charged with 18 counts of theft, 147 counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception and one charge of obtaining property by deception.

She is accused of using union credit cards to pay for international flights and luxury hotels, including stays in Hong Kong, Las Vegas and New York.

Jackson, who lives in NSW, is expected to return to court on December 15.