The inaugural Trade Union and World of Work Book Fair took place on 20 and 21 May 2026 at the Centro de la Cultura del Trabajo, Beunos Aires, Argentina. This pioneering space was designed to highlight cultural production, literature, and research tied to labour, trade unions, and social movements.
Two days filled with workers, trade union and social leaders, authors, and publishers provided the ideal setting for a Book Fair that, at the public’s request, is already planning its second edition.
“Albert Camus said that when faced with the absurd – and you can believe that this government is absurd – one can deny it, resign oneself to it, or engage in a lucid rebellion. Welcome to the Book Fair of Lucid Rebellion.” With these words, CGT General Secretary Jorge Sola officially opened the first day of the Trade Union and World of Work Book Fair.
Organized by Incasur, the pioneering institute for trade union leadership training that has existed and persevered for more than 50 years, the fair received support and participation from across the trade union movement, as well as social organisations and NGOs connected to social, political, and labour issues.
Over the two days of the fair, participants also included figures such as Hugo “Cachorro” Godoy, General Secretary of the Autonomous CTA; Florencia Lisarazo from the Ministry of Labour of the Province of Buenos Aires; Pancho Gaitán, Vice President of the Incasur Human Promotion Foundation; and Natalia Gonzalez, General Secretary of AATRAC Capital. Authors presenting their books included Natalia Salvo, Nerea Liebre, Nico Descalzo, Guido Agostinelli, Federico Vázquez of Futurock, and Mariano Quiroga of Multiviral. Organizations represented included ATE, UTEP, Radar Intersindical de Cultura, CEIS Insurance Workers’ Union, UOM, UOCRA, ADEF, SATSAID, UPJET, and CEIL-CONICET, among many others.
Publishers specialising in labour, social, and political topics participated with exhibition stands, including Octubre, Fondo de Cultura Económica, Ciccus, Futurock, Nuestra América, and Aula y Andamio, among many others. The Argentine Association of Graphic Reporters also participated with a photojournalism exhibition related to the fair’s themes.
“Organising a Book Fair for Workers is an act of rebellion against the established powers,” said Jorge Sola. “What do those who oppose us expect? They expect us to do things that are predictable. Holding a Trade Union Book Fair is supposedly not something the world of work is expected to do. It is a very intelligent way of being rebellious.”
Ramón Ermácora, Director of Incasur, stated that “the fair exceeded all our expectations. Our goal was simply to create a meeting point that could express what workers are feeling and thinking at a time when we are constantly bombarded with every kind of label and accusation by a government that attacks us daily. And when we speak of workers, we mean those who have jobs and those who do not, because we are all workers. As Pope Francis said, we must resist with patience and perseverance in order to counter this cultural battle that seeks to convince us that other values matter more. We know what truly matters is this: being together. Thank you very much, and we already invite you to join us next year for the next fair.”