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 2000 (18th) GC in Kaunianen, Finland. At the 2003 (19th) GC in Albufeira, Portugal, Joao Proenca was elected President and Dan as Special Adviser, a position he held until the 2007 (20th) GC in Ahmedebad, India.
In 1991 at the General Conference in Port Elgin, Canada, when Gallin was elected IFWEA President, an important decision was taken to for IFWEA to improve its effectiveness by developing a regional structure. Of itself this was a decision that reflected IFWEA’s development into a genuinely world organisation.The first of the regional bodies was soon established for Europe, to be followed within three years by regional operations in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America. This structure has ensured that the needs and aspirations of all its member organisations are effectively articulated at both global and regional levels.
This tribute was made by Simel Esim:
“Dan Gallin, a legendary figure in the international labour movement, passed away on May 31, 2025, in Geneva at the age of 88. His life was dedicated to advancing democratic socialism, international solidarity, and the rights of workers across the globe.
Born in 1936 in Czernowitz, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Chernivtsi, Ukraine), Gallin’s early experiences of political upheaval shaped his lifelong commitment to social justice. After his family fled Romania during the rise of Stalinism, he became stateless and settled in Switzerland. He later pursued studies in the United States.
Among his most significant contributions was during his tenure as General Secretary of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) from 1968 to 1997. Under his leadership, the IUF transformed into a dynamic federation that championed the rights of workers in the face of globalization and corporate power.
He was instrumental in promoting international framework agreements and supporting labor movements in the Global South. Beyond the IUF, he founded the Global Labour Institute (GLI) in 1997, fostering education and research to strengthen the labour movement worldwide. His writings, including the essay collection Solidarity which I have the privilege of having received a signed copy of from him, reflect his deep insights into labour history, socialist theory, and the challenges facing workers in a changing world.
Gallin also played a pivotal role in supporting informal economy workers through his involvement with Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO). As first Director of WIEGO’s Organization and Representation Program from 2000 to 2002, he focused on building and strengthening informal economy worker organizations, particularly international sector networks. His efforts contributed to the formation and support of organizations like StreetNet International and HomeNet South Asia, amplifying the voices of street vendors and home-based workers on the global stage. He believed in the power of economic democracy through the cooperative and social and solidarity economy movements.
… Dan Gallin’s legacy endures in the countless organizations he inspired. His unwavering belief in the power of collective action and democratic principles are more essential to guide the struggle for workers’ rights, social justice and economic democracy today than ever before.”