Public Services International (PSI) and Our World is not For Sale have launched a new report, written by Ellen Gould, on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA). The report outlines the way the TISA, the radical extension of GATS, will restrict democratic government’s ability to make laws that protect us. It will tie the hands of governments to deal with important issues such as health care, water, energy, education and climate change. The agreement will stop public services returning to state ownership if privatisations fail and will undermine data privacy laws. Shockingly it will restrict the rights of government to regulate the financial markets, as if nothing has been learned from the financial crisis:
http://www.world-psi.org/en/psi-special-report-really-good-friends-transnational-corporations-agreement
#psiglobaltradesummit The most significant decision of the 2014 Trades Union Congress was the
unanimous vote in opposition to the
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The hard hitting composite called on the TUC to
oppose Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms and demanded the exclusion of all public services, including education and health, public procurement, public utilities and public transport (whether in public or private ownership) from the negotiations which are largely being conducted in secret between the EU and US Government.
Global trade union body Public Services International (PSI) is warning that the proposed Trade in Service Agreement (TISA) will put public healthcare, broadcasting, water, transport and other services at risk. The proposed deal could make it impossible for future governments to restore public services to public control, even in cases where private service delivery has failed.
Rosa Pavanelli General Secretary of PSI said 'this is an attempt to secretly extend the most damaging parts of the infamous GATS agreement that previously sparked global protests. The aim of public services should not be to make profits for large multinational corporations. Ensuring that failed privatizations can never be reversed is free market ideology gone mad'
http://www.world-psi.org/en/psi-special-report-tisa-versus-public-services
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louis-belanger/talks-on-liberalizing-ser_b_5224373.html
The attack on union rights is currently the number one priority for public sector unions in every part of the world. That was the message from Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of Public Services International (PSI) to this week’s convention of CUPE, the Canadian public services union. Pavanelli told delegates that the recent financial crisis created by bankers and speculators led to attacks on public services and the union movement. “I firmly believe that we are confronted with a deliberate attack that has been planned to get rid of the only barrier still opposing the overwhelming supremacy of capitalism. We are not only the witnesses of such an attack; we all are the target of this attack.” Watch the speech on line at:
http://cupe50.ca/the-fight-for-union-rights-is-in-front-of-us-pavanelli/
Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina has promised a Public Services International (PSI) delegation of international trade unionists that he will speak out about the need to respect and protect the lives of union members in the country. Guatemala is considered to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist.
The newly elected General Secretary of Public Services International (PSI) outlines her mission in an excellent profile on the PSI website: “The forces working against ordinary people – the privateers, international financial institutions, right-wing billionaires and captive governments – are ruthless and powerful. They destroy. They care nothing for the public good. They are driven by self-interest and insatiable greed. Women, young people, workers and families are paying the price as unemployment soars and vital public services are slashed. Neoliberalism, which is driving austerity, is an outrageous ideology. You can’t build a healthy community by driving your neighbours to ruin,” says Rosa
http://www.world-psi.org/en/rosa-pavanelli-new-leadership-new-vision
Rosa Pavanelli, the newly elected General Secretary of Public Services International, has written to all affilaited unions with a call to action.
'Congress mandated PSI to do many things, too many things. We will have to make some choices. Our resources are not unlimited and our staff complement is not huge. In order for us to fulfil the Durban mandate, we must prioritise better, be more flexible and more focused, and combine our capabilities more closely with your strengths and your priorities. I am convinced that PSI will rise to the challenges when we can better integrate and include our unions in all that we do'
http://www.world-psi.org/en/message-psi-affiliates-rosa-pavanelli-psi-general-secretary
#PSIcongress2012 Chris Tansley, UNISON President, intervened in the Congress debate on Palestine in support of the Palestinian people. Delegates backed Resolution 42 which referred to Israel as an apartheid state and called for a global policy of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), and a composite motion, submitted by UNISON, PCS and PSI Africa region which called for action against companies complicit in the illegal Israeli occupation. In the lunch break before the debate South Africa's Coalition for a Free Palestine - supported by SAMWU (South African Municipal Workers Union), NEHAWU (National Health Education and Allied Workers Union) and other COSATU affiliates - had lobbied Congress delegates in a show of solidarity with Palestine.
#PSICongress2012 Jane Carolan, UNISON NEC, intervened in a debate on union organisation in the education sector (particularly the non-teacher workforce) and called on PSI to build capacity, skills, bargain locally and internationally (taking on the multi-nationals). Also to facilitate networking by members in education and build solidarity with teaching unions by exposing the myth that quality education is possible on the back of an exploited workforce:
#PSICongress2012 The UNISON delegation has agreed to support the leadership challenge of Rosa Pavanelli, of the Italian FP-CGIL union, in the General Secretary ballot which will take place tomorrow at the Durban World Congress:
http://www.rosapavanelli.net/
#psicongress2012 Public service trade unionists from every continent are assembling in Durban, South Africa, for the five-yearly Congress of the Public Services International (PSI) - the global union federation for public service workers. Host union federation COSATU has issued a fighting welcome to delegates: 'Congress is taking place at a critical moment in the history of the struggle for a new and just world order, quality public services and the fight against neo-liberal globalisation, particularly ravaging our continent and the working class as a whole'
http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=6727
Rosa Pavenelli of Italy’s Funzione Pubblica CGIL trade union has gained decisive momentum in her bid to unseat incumbent Peter Waldorff in the General Secretary election at Public Services International (PSI). As well as securing the collective support of a group of leading European unions including ver.di (Germany), CCOO (Spain) and ABVAKABO FNV (Netherlands), Pavenelli is being backed by the massive Japanese public service trade union Jichiro.
http://www.rosapavanelli.net/
In 2007 at the Public Services International (PSI) Vienna Congress, Peter Waldorff, of the Danish trade union HK/Stat, narrowly defeated UNISON candidate Keith Sonnet in the election for PSI General Secretary. Five years on and Waldorff (pictured centre left) is facing a formidable challenge from Rosa Pavenelli (pictured centre) President of Italy’s FP CGIL trade union. UNISON will have a delegation at the PSI's upcoming Durban Congress (27-30 November) but is yet to nominate a candidate in the General Secretary election. PSI is a global trade union federation representing 20 million public service workers.
http://waldorff.org/endorsments/ |
http://www.rosapavanelli.net/
http://congress.world-psi.org/about
#ILC101 Peter Waldorf, the General Secretary of Public Services International, today addressed the international labour conference of the ILO and outlined the growing attack worldwide on the rights of public sector workers. ‘More than ever before, we see how employers – including the governments in their capacity as employers – disrespect and disregard trade union rights. Workers’ rights to organise, bargain or even strike are being questioned or even eliminated altogether. Therefore, I have a strong message for governments and employers. You must understand your responsibilities under international conventions’
http://www.world-psi.org/en/psis-general-secretary-giving-speech-international-labour-conference
