The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) is an international federation of trade unions established on 3 October 1945. From the outset of the Cold War, the federation became primarily Communist-aligned. Between September 1956 and March 1964, Elena Teodorescu from Romania was WFTU's secretary and employee of WFTU secretariat.

Many women from Central and Eastern Europe participated in the inaugural Conference of Women Workers:

• Kunka Apostolova Pencheva (Bulgaria, planned head of delegation);
• Elena Teodorescu (Romania);
• Marie (Maria) Radová (Czechoslovakia, planned head of delegation, representative of National trade union confederation of employees in state-owned commerce);
• Gizella Hegyi (planned - and likely de facto - head of delegation, secretary of Textile Workers’ Trade Union) and Gizella Pellek (planned head of delegation, secretary of Metalworkers’ Trade Union), both from Hungary;
• Irena Brzozowska (Poland);
• Liuba Chișinevschi (Romania, planned head of delegation, secretary of General Council of Trade Unions).