Dr Thea Dückert passed away on 30 July 2026 at the age of 76. Amongst various other roles at the University of Oldenburg, she served as Head of the Office for University and Trade Union Co-operation from 1995 to 1998. During this brief period, she made a lasting impact and, above all, brought environmental issues into the trade unions’ advocacy work. To this end, she initiated and piloted projects and new forms of cooperation at the Office for University and Trade Union Co-operation. Following the 1998 federal election, she was elected to the Bundestag as a Member of Parliament for Alliance 90/The Greens and helped to shape the labour market reforms implemented under the banner of ‘Agenda 2010’, in particular the merger of unemployment benefit and social assistance. We mourn the loss of our former head of the Cooperation Office and a critical advocate of our collaborative work.