Proposals that cover topics such as just transitions that seek to reorganize economies without leaving anyone behind, the respect for labor rights in global value chains, union democracy as both a goal and a method, and alliances between workers, science, and civil society, were some of the key takeaways from the First International Retreat of the Democracy at Work Fund (DWF).

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Over the course of four days in Cape Town, worker organizations from Asia, Africa, and Latin America gathered in April for the first international retreat of the Democracy at Work Fund (DWF), an initiative aimed at building collective power from within labor organizations.

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Driven by JASS (Just Associates), FORGE, and Fundación Avina, the gathering served as a space for construction, listening, and concrete action. More than 17 organizations shared not only analyses of the precarious labor conditions faced by millions, but also creative strategies, collective care practices, and common dreams.

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“This gathering is not just about reflection, but about translating those reflections into concrete strategies—sharing learnings, building alliances, and strengthening our networks to fuel change,” said Giselle Baiguera of Fundación Avina during the retreat’s opening session.

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The retreat was more than just a dialogue. Agreements were reached, action paths were defined, and joint campaigns were committed to. The organizations agreed that global coordination from the South is essential to confronting power structures that operate on a global scale.

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The retreat brought together a wide range of voices: domestic workers, urban recyclers, rural workers, nurses, digital platform unions, popular economy collectives, and more. Differences in language, context, or organizational models did not prevent the shared conviction that decent work must be the foundation of any real democracy.

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The main areas of focus included: just transition and climate justice; new forms of organizing and collective bargaining; mental health and activist sustainability; transformative communication and transnational alliances; and care, gender, and inclusion.

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Participants also visited local South African organizations, building bridges between the struggles of Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

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After sharing analyses and insights, one of the most important moments was the collective creation of a common agenda, built from diverse experiences with shared challenges, which were recorded on collaborative flip charts and became visual symbols of collective construction, such as:

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• Internal democracy and collective power to strengthen participatory processes like rotating leadership, accountability, and grassroots decision-making.

• Real inclusion and diverse representation involving women, youth, migrants, racialized individuals, and LGBTQ+ people—not only as members, but as active leaders through an intersectional approach.

• Well-being as political resistance, highlighting care, mental health, and emotional sustainability as core elements of activist work, creating safe spaces for celebration and support, which are key to sustaining long-term commitment.

• Driving organizational innovation from the South, from digital cooperatives to feminist unions, which presented innovative ways of organizing that challenge traditional models with creativity and effectiveness.

• Boosting autonomy and access to resources, enabling local territories to decide how resources are used—an essential action for supporting authentic transformation processes.

• Work as a foundation for democracy and life, not merely a source of income, but a core of rights, political participation, climate justice, and sustainability.

• International solidarity and joint campaigns, which emerged as one of the strongest points of consensus. The retreat reinforced a commitment to building a transnational worker community that shares learnings, defines common agendas, and acts in coordination.

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Fundación Avina, one of the organizations managing the DWF, played a key role in designing and supporting this process. Its vision goes beyond funding—it seeks a systemic transformation of work and life conditions.

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“Our commitment is to accompany processes, align agendas, and sustain struggles that are born at the margins but have the potential to reshape entire structures,” said a Fundación Avina representative during the gathering.