Mar 09

The importance of worker education: Saliem Patel

IFWEA General Secretary Saliem Patel was interviewed by Finnish publication Demokraati, whilst on an intensive study visit to Sweden, Norway and Finland last year. The visit was focused on building international collaboration within the worker education movement. Text Anna-Liisa Blomberg / Photos Nora Vilva We live in a time when... read more →
Jan 30

Solidarity with workers and communities in Minneapolis, USA

January 2026 - The ITUC has expressed its solidarity with workers and communities in Minneapolis, USA and stands with the AFL-CIO in mourning the killing of union member Alex Pretti, calling for a full and transparent investigation.  Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse and member of a public employees’... read more →
Dec 01

Misbah Ayub and the WEA conference

Picture: Misbah Ayub (WEA) Misbah Ayub is the Senior Communications and Culture Manager at IFWEA affiliate the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) in the UK. She has been with the WEA for five years, explaining that education has played an important role in her own life: “I’ve always worked within the... read more →
Nov 27

Digital abuse of women and girls

November 2025 - The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has sounded a strong warning about the growing surge of digital abuse directed at women and girls across Africa. According to the organisation, online harassment is rapidly emerging as one of the most harmful and fast-growing... read more →
Nov 25

Millions of children in child labour

November 2025 - According to the 2024 ILO-UNICEF Global Estimates, around 137.6 million children are involved in child labour worldwide, with 54 million performing dangerous tasks. The majority - 61% - work in agriculture. Another 27% are in the services sector, which includes domestic work in private homes, while 13%... read more →
Oct 30

Interview with Dan Nicander of IUT

Picture (from left): Saliem Patel, Shariefa Ebrahim (IFWEA) and Dan Nicander (IUT). Dan Nicander, the Secretary General of the International Union of Tenants (IUT), recently met with IFWEA and housing and related organisations in South Africa. Usually based in Sweden, we caught up with Dan to speak about his trip... read more →
Oct 14

Hamba Kahle Comrade Crystal Dicks

Activist, feminist and worker educator Crystal Dicks worked on two pioneering international education programmes in IFWEA from 2004 to 2008. Former IFWEA General Secretary Sahra Ryklief pays homage to her friend and colleague, who passed away on 6 October 2025: It is with immense sadness that I, at the request... read more →
Oct 10

IFWEA General Secretary Saliem Patel on Nordic Study Visit

From 19 August to 5 September 2025, IFWEA General Secretary Saliem Patel travelled to Sweden, Norway and Finland on a study visit that included intensive discussions on the worker education movement and international collaboration within workers’ education associations. He speaks about the study visit here: Who invited you to the... read more →
Oct 07

Attacks on federal workers affect everybody

September 2025 - During the 2024 presidential campaign in the USA, Russell Vought - now serving as Director of the Office of Management and Budget - boasted that he wanted to put federal workers “in trauma.” Project 2025 went even further, calling union representation among government employees “incompatible with democracy”... read more →
Sep 01
Aug 28
Aug 18

Fists Up for Peace: International Youth Day 2025

August 2025  - Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) released the following statement to coincide with International Youth day in August: "To mark 2025’s International Youth Day, the BWI Youth calls on all affiliates to take action in voicing young workers’ demand for peace and justice! We envision a just future... read more →
Jul 25

Kang Yeon Bae from KHMU: Mobilising in the medical and health sector

Kang Yeon Bae is Head of PR and information at the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU). The trade union represents healthcare workers in South Korea, and is actively involved in advocating for better working conditions, improved patient care, and increased public investment in the healthcare sector. At the beginning... read more →
Jul 11

Melanie Julie talks about the IFWEA Online Courses

IFWEA offers a range of online learning opportunities, some which are self-paced, and some which are facilitated. Melanie Julie, IFWEA Education Programme Manager, speaks about the courses, especially the popularity of the self-paced courses, how they work, and who can participate: Why the concept of self-paced courses? The concept of... read more →
Jul 02

Trade Unions Unite for Rights and Dignity at Budapest Pride 2025

June 2025  - European Public Service Union (EPSU), with support from global federation Public Services International (PSI) joined thousands of marchers in Budapest on 28 June 2025 to stand in solidarity with the LGBT+ community and defend democratic freedoms under attack in Hungary and beyond. Despite police warnings, legal threats,... read more →
Jun 05

IFWEA President Dan Gallin 1991 – 2003 RIP

Dan Gallin, who was IFWEA President from 1991 to 2003, passed away at the end of May 2025. Dan Gallin was elected IFWEA President at the 1991 (16th) IFWEA General Conference in Port Elgin, Canada. He was re-elected at the 1995 (17th) GC in Belfast, Ireland, and again at the... read more →
May 26
May 13

Helén Pettersson – serving ABF for 13 years

IFWEA Executive Committee Vice-President Helén Pettersson has stepped down from her role as President of affiliate ABF Sweden, after nearly 13 years of what she describes as an “historic honour”. Saliem Patel, IFWEA Secretary General, is very happy to note that “ABF has asked Helén to remain on the IFWEA... read more →
May 06

May Day commemorated with rallies

May 2025  - Rallies and demonstrations were organised across multiple major European cities on 1 May to commemorate Labour Day, calling for higher pay, greater equality and the protection of workers' rights. Events ranged in size and shape from nationwide celebrations to smaller-scale affairs. International Labour Day, also known as... read more →
Apr 24

IFWEA, ILO and UNESCO

Picture: ILO A research project on the collaboration between UNESCO, ILO and IFWEA in the field of workers’ education, will form part of a publication celebrating the 80th anniversary of UNESCO. Michele Mioni is a postdoctoral researcher at Ca' Foscari University of Venice and a research associate at the Centre... read more →