The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) mourns the passing of Nora Wintour, a dedicated labour leader who steered innovative and pioneering actions for gender equality and global trade union building.

Nora worked with the IFBWW, one the predecessor global unions of BWI, from 1992 to 1997 as Education Secretary and Women Officer. During her term, she helped built the foundations of a truly global education program and championed affirmative action for women in the male-dominated industries and unions where the IFBWW operated. Her advocacy for an international women’s committee led to a structure upon which many women leaders of IFBWW and BWI were nurtured.

Since 2013, she has contributed her expertise to BWI in another capacity—as an independent consultant. While her invaluable work may not always be in the public eye, her involvement in documenting BWI’s migration and sports campaigns has played a crucial role in shaping strategic directions and advancing decent work standards in mega-sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Summer and Winter Olympics. 

Nora’s analysis of the migration phenomenon in the global construction industry significantly contributed to the creation of a new BWI constituency for trade unions within the global labour force. Her experience as an education officer was a valuable input to the BWI global education program as she supported our project development, especially towards the EU funding system.

Nora authored several groundbreaking publications for BWI, including Faster, Higher, Stronger: Lessons for the Next BWI Sports Campaigns (2018), Foul Play: FIFA’s Failures in the 2018 World Cup Russia (2018), Workers’ Rights on World Bank-Funded Construction and Infrastructure Projects: A BWI Trade Union Guide (2019), BWI@Work Global Report: Trade Union Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020), and The BWI Campaign for Trade Union Activism to Address Violence Against Women (2021). We are deeply grateful for all her contributions to BWI and the working class.

BWI mourns with the global trade union movement and expresses its condolences to Nora’s family, relatives, friends and colleagues whose lives were touched by her values, leadership, intelligence, and love.

Rest in Power, Nora.