Yota Kravaritou passed away on 10 October 2008 at the age of 64. It is with the deepest sadness and true sorrow that the ‘transnational trade union rights’ experts group of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) takes leave of her. Yota Kravaritou was a fervent feminist and devoted her work to the cause of gender balance in Europe. We remember some of her numerous and highly influential contributions such as The sex of labour law in Europe, in 1996 (Kluwer Law International); An introduction and a bibliography on feminist jurisprudence in 1997 (); The regulation of working time in the European Union: a gender approach in 1999 (P.I.E.-Peter Lang); as well as Equal opportunities and collective bargaining in the European Union: selected agreements from Greece in 2005 (European Foundation).

Yota Kravaritou was also one of the pioneering members, in the mid-1990s, of the European Trade Union Institute’s network of high-level academics. In the wake of the Amsterdam Treaty reforms, together with leading European labour law experts, she contributed in 1996 to the Manifesto for social Europe (published in 11 languages). This experience let to the formation of the ETUI Transnational Trade Union Rights experts’ group, the purpose of which is to constitute a bridge between academia and the trade union movement and to provide legal analysis for the ETUC in the area of fundamental social rights, including transnational trade union rights. Yota Kravaritou, a strong believer in trade union rights was a committed and active member of this group for the rest of her life enriching its work with her special support for gender rights.

She participated further in landmark publications promoting trade unions rights, such as the new Manifesto for social Europe in 2000. Similarly, her legal and constitutional expertise, as well as her critical analysis of non-discrimination issues in Europe, were a most valuable input to European labour law and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights published in 2006 (Nomos) (with summary versions in English, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish and Swedish published by the ETUI) as well as to the Manifesto for a social Constitution in 2007 (ETUI; available in English, French and German). Yota Kravaritou always impressed her audience with her sound knowledge of democracy and her deep belief in its exercise by workers, as well as with her persuasive arguments on the role of women in society and how labour law could best promote an effective balance between men and women at work.

Yota Kravaritou was, by any standards, an exceptional academic and a true friend of the trade union movement in Europe. We will remember her with great affection and admiration for her feminism and independent spirit.
On behalf of the ETUI
Isabelle Schömann