“I have established contact with the organisation of mayors in Brazil, and I have also had a meeting with the vice-mayor of my hometown São Paulo. This is the first time I have met her since her election.”

Even though Brazil has ratified the ILO Convention on the right to collective bargaining, this is still not regulated by law. “This is the greatest challenge for unionists in Brazil at the moment, and it’s difficult fight,” says Buonavita.

But  he is optimistic. “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us. But I think the people we have met and the contacts we have made here will be a start to something that will benefit the workers in the future.”