Trade Union Struggles Under Authoritarian Regimes | LABOR.A® 2026

In authoritarian regimes, the work of trade unions goes beyond representing workers’ interests—it becomes a form of political resistance. Workers who stand up for dignity, social justice, and fundamental democratic rights risk repression, imprisonment, or even their lives. Using concrete examples, this event will highlight how unions operate under these conditions, what forms of protest and solidarity emerge, and how their struggles are connected to broader social movements. Together with persecuted union activists in exile, we will discuss the importance of international solidarity and what we can do in Germany to provide support. Speakers: Carolin Vollmann (German Trade Union Confederation (DGB)), Carmen Ludwig (German Education Union (GEW)), Paapa Kwasi Danquah (International Trade Union Confederation), Lisa Gürth (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung), Esmail Abdi Partners: German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), GEW - Education and Science Union