The PSI World News is a monthly round up of events and news relating to the work of public service trade union staff and activists. To subscribe email communications@world-psi.org with the word/s: "english"; "français"; "espagnol"; "japanese" or "russian" in the subject line. Below is a selection of stories from recent editions.

7 September International day of action for Swaziland

On 7 September 2010 Public Services International (PSI) will be joining trade unionists and human rights activists around the world in showing solidarity for our brothers and sisters in Swaziland and supporting their call for democracy. PSI and affiliates continue to oppose the introduction of the Public Services Bill which would effectively prevent all public servants from being active members of a trade union.

Swaziland is ruled by the last absolute monarchy in Africa. The country has been under a state of emergency for 37 years; democratic dissent and opposition are banned and trade union and pro-democracy human rights activists are routinely subjected to violence, intimidation and harassment.

More: www.world-psi.org/swaziland

Chilean tax union announces national strike

PSI Chilean affiliate Agrupación Nacional Empleados Fiscales (tax workers’union) announced a 24-hour national strike for August 26 to protest the sacking of more than 2,500 public employees by the government of billionaire president Sebastián Piñera, who took office in March. ANEF expects to mobilize 80,000 public employees throughout the country.

ANEF president Raúl de la Puente told the press, “The central motive for this stoppage is that the president promised that there were not going to be more firings, but 2,500 people have already gone and other public departments are at risk.”

More in Spanish: http://www.anef.cl/portal/.

Unions determined to protect UK's National Health Service

PSI affiliate UNISON has announced that it has decided to go to court to block government changes to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. UNITE, another PSI affliate in the UK, also supports the NHS Support Federation coalition campaign.

Karen Jennings, UNISON's head of health, accused the health department of ignoring a legal duty to consult stakeholders before making cuts. "The white paper contains sweeping changes to the NHS and how it should be run. The NHS constitution enshrines the principle that the public, staff and unions have an absolute right to be consulted," she says. 

More: NHS Support Federation

Guyana government to use lie detectors on public sector staff

PSI affiliate the Guyana Public Service Union is warning its members to shun what the government is calling its 2010 integrity testing exercise. In other words, using of lie detectors on staff.
   
The Guyana government is about to begin polygraph testing of members of law enforcement agencies and other public officers.

Presidential spokesman Roger Luncheon described the measure as an internationally accepted method used to determine culpability. However, it is being denounced by the President of GPSU, Patrick Yarde, who argues that the introduction of such testing is "politically motivated". He has announced that public officers should refuse to take the test.

Campaigning for fairness at work in New Zealand

On August 16 2010 the New Zealand Government introduced two new Bills to Parliament to drastically change employment law in New Zealand. If passed the changes will take away workers' rights, remove protections, cut pay, reduce holidays and diminish access to sick leave. PSI's affiliate the New Zealand Public Service Association has joined with allies in the Fairness at Work campaign. http://www.psa.org.nz/Campaigns/FairnessAtWork.aspx.
See the NZPSA rally video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cwzbF1M4Kk

South African public sector strike: Money for World Cup, not for workers

On 18 August, more than one million public sector union members in South Africa began taking strike action, demanding a wage increase and changes to housing allowances and medical subsidies. On 21 August the government obtained a court injunction prohibiting public sector workers from continuing the national strike. Another court decision barred police from joining the ongoing strike after PSI affiliate the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union said its 145,000 members would strike on 28 August in solidarity. PSI affiliates have vowed to continue job action to back their demands.

For more information and photos, click here.

Europeans for financial reform

Europeans for financial reform is a coalition of progressive forces, ranging from NGOs to Trade Unions, citizens, academics and progressive politicians, that have come together to spearhead a campaign for real reform in our banking and financial system.

The global financial crisis is affecting every aspect of our lives, threatening jobs, savings, pensions and public services everywhere. It’s time for citizens around Europe to raise our voices and demand that the fundamental causes of this crisis be addressed - we need tough rules to stop the financiers’ folly, and a new framework that better serves the public interest. The unregulated global financial market and economy must be subject to fair and transparent global governance.

See more information and join the campaign on http://europeansforfinancialreform.org/ website in English, French and German.

PSI membership statistics

On 9 August 2010, PSI has 650 affiliated unions in 148 countries and territories, representing a total of 20 million women and men working in the public services around the world. Of those unions, 127 are in Africa and Arab countries, 117 in Asia and Pacific, 223 in Europe, and 179 in Inter-America, plus four international affiliates. An additional 22 applications are under consideration for affiliation.

Egyptian trade unions receive prestigious award

AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker congratulates Kamal Abbas, left, and Kamal Abu Eita. The two accepted the Meany-Kirkland Award on behalf of Egypt’s trade union movement.

In August 2010, the American Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO) honoured the courageous women and men of the Egyptian workers’ movement with the George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award. The award was accepted by Kamal Abu Eita, president of the Independent General Union of Real Estate Tax Authority Workers, the first independent trade union in Egypt in more than 50 years, and Kamal Abbas, general coordinator of the Centre for Trade Union and Worker Services.

RETA members voted to form an independent union at the end of 2008 following a nationwide strike and a 12-day sit-in by municipal tax collectors. But the union was not officially recognised by the Egyptian government until April 2009. Abu Eita notes that the tax collectors won their battle despite fierce union-busting tactics wielded by the government.

“This award will continue to help and support us,” he says, adding that Public Services International’s acceptance of RETA as a new affiliate is another important sign of support for the union.

More: http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/08/09/egypts-workers-struggle-to-keep-unions-free/

Join the Global Week of Action for the Human Right to Water and Sanitation

Public Services International (PSI) requests affiliates to take immediate action on the UN General Assembly resolution titled The Human Right to Water and Sanitation.  By declaring water and sanitation a human right, this historic resolution is a critical step to addressing the misery and deaths that result from not having clean water and sanitation. The right to water and sanitation is supported by many PSI unions and allies. 

The resolution has been officially tabled by at least 23 co-sponsoring member states and the government of Bolivia.  UN member states will consider the resolution on Wednesday 28 July, so we need you to act quickly and collectively so that the resolution passes with a strong majority.

Starting today, here are the different things you can do to apply pressure on your government, both in your country and at the United Nations:

• Send a letter to your government demanding that they support the human right to water and sanitation. Click here for a sample letter.
• Urge your local, regional, and national representatives to sign a statement in support of the resolution and ask them to circulate it widely to their networks. The list of signatories will be presented at a press conference in the UN on Tuesday 27 July, the day before the vote. So please ask your elected officials to sign-on quickly! Elected representatives can click  here to read and add their name to the open statement.
• Send an email directly to your country's U.N. mission. Use the online action alert on the Blue Planet Project website here.
• Issue a press release in your country to try and get attention, a model press release is available here.
• Sign the open letter supporting the human right to water and sanitation. The open letter can be accessed here.

This is urgent so please take a moment to act today!  More information can be found on the Blue Planet Project website at the following address: http://www.blueplanetproject.net/RightToWater/7days.html

“Justice for Colombia” delegation

The delegation visited mass graves in Macarena

The purpose of the mission was to learn more about the current situation and to promote trade union rights, respect for the life and physical safety of trade unionists, and respect for human rights in Colombia. The mission also requested meetings with senior government figures in Colombia, including the President of the Republic, and the President-elect who will be taking office on 7 August 2010.

Several leaders of unions affiliated to Public Services International in Colombia have received recent death threats from the paramilitary organisation Las Águilas Negras (Black Eagles). At the same time, our unions are battling intensified plans to privatise public services such as water delivery.

Other PSI affiliate unions including UNISON, Ver.di, the British Columbia Government and Service Employees’ Union, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees will also be making solidarity visits to Colombia in the coming months.

See more on the PSI blog http://financialcrisisblog.world-psi.org/.

Help Colombian affiliates in their struggle against water privatisation!

One of PSI's affiliates in Colombia, SINTRACUAVALLE, is raising the alarm about the planned privatisation of the commercial sector of the public water company Acuavalle.

The union's concern is based on the splitting of Acuavalle's components into public and private entities, which will likely result in higher costs to consumers. For example, the privatisation of part of the company Bogotá Aqueduct resulted in tariff increases of up to 126%.

Please support the union in their action against this privatisation by writing to Acuavalle's management, urging them to bring all components of Acuavalle back into public hands. Please find attached PSI's action request and a  model letter to Acuavalle's management.

PSI Urgent Action Acuavalle, Colombia

No to austerity – Priority for jobs and growth

The European Trade Union Confederation is staging a European Day of Action on 29 September 2010 with the message "No to austerity – Priority for jobs and growth!" The Day of Action will include a Euro-demonstration in Brussels and trade union actions in other European countries, in reaction to the austerity measures adopted recently by many European governments. Union members are demanding recovery plans that promote quality jobs and growth.

In order to ensure sustainable growth, the ETUC calls for

• The introduction of a tax on financial transactions to ensure a public investment policy,
• The development of sustainable and dynamic industrial policies based on low-carbon growth,
• Greater fiscal coordination and transparency to prevent social dumping in Europe.

The ETUC web page has details of the demonstration, resources including a poster and leaflet in English, French and German, press releases and ETUC contact details. See http://www.etuc.org/a/7407.

Turkey: Meryem has been released!

We are pleased to announce that Meryem Özsögüt has been released from prison in Turkey! We received the news from her union, SES, who tells us that her judicial process is still continuing, so we must continue to closely follow her case. We have also received a message from Meryem, thanking affiliates and PSI for the solidarity that gave her hope while she was in prison and that has surely contributed to her release at this point. PSI affiliates are asked to continue to demand the guarantee of justice and freedom for Meryem, and fellow trade unionists who are still being held in Turkish prisons.

Please continue to support the Labourstart campaign regarding the judicial persecution of Turkish trade unionists: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=733 Please publicise this as widely as possible - so far only 1,523 signatures have been obtained, and several trade unionists are still in prison.

PSI is also working with other Global Union Federations, the ITUC and the International Centre for Trade Union Rights on this issue and has started collaborating with Amnesty International. Please take action now to help secure the release of our sisters and brothers and end the wave of judicial persecutions in Turkey.

See further information on the situation and what can be done to help on the PSI website: http://www.world-psi.org/Turkey2010.

Dave Prentis re-elected as UNISON general secretary - Angela Lynes is new UNISON president

Dave Prentis, PSI President, has been re-elected as General Secretary of his union, UNISON. He received 67.2% of the votes in postal ballot of UNISON members, as announced on 22 June. At the National delegate conference held in Bournemouth, UK, at the end of June, Dave inspired conference delegates with a rallying cry to defend public services.  "We will organise. We will organise public meetings and street demonstrations, in towns and cities, up and down the country. We will build lasting community alliances, to defend our public services … We will promote an alternative economic political and social agenda."

Angela Lynes was elected as UNISON’s president for 2010-2011. She is an administrative officer working for Glasgow City Council. In her address to conference delegates, she emphasised union unity, "In UNISON we may work in different sectors and have different employers. We may have different identities and speak with different accents. We may have different home lives or responsibilities. But wherever I have been this year, I have seen that we are all facing the same issues. A redundancy is a redundancy, whether you are in London or Glasgow. Cuts in service bite just as hard in local government as they do in health care. A pay freeze hurts whether you are gay or straight. But our issues are the same. And now, more than ever we need to join our voices together to make ourselves heard. We have one million voices. But we are one union. And we will show our fight."
Read all about UNISON's conference here: http://www.unison.org.uk/conference2010/index.asp

Trade union rights continue to be violated in Ukraine

"Where is the cheap Ukrainian gas?"

President Khara also condemned the detention and administrative arrest of Varlerii Stepanovych Varych, Head of the Kiev Health Care Workers Union, on 13 July. The FPU considers the detention is in violation of Ukraine legislation that protects human and civil rights and freedoms. He has asked the Ukrainian Prosecutor General to provide the reason for Mr. Varych's detention, and has appealed to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine to carry out an official investigation. "This unlawful practice threatens the authority of judicial system in Ukraine and undermines the faith in the judgments issued, their objectivity and impartiality," he said.

On 16 July, representatives of the Health Workers' Union and the State Employees' Union picketed the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) after it adopted a regulation for a 150% increase of national gas prices from 1 August 2010. The FPU Deputy President, Grygorii Osovyj, stated that the increase is in violation of the Cabinet of Ministers, regulation no. 184 of 24 February, stipulating that gas prices for the population would not change in 2010. In addition, a General Agreement signed between the trade unions and the previous government states that "increases in gas prices can only be made after consultation with trade unions."

The unions believe the decision was taken after an International Monetary Fund (IMF) request to decrease the level of social protection and the social security system. The IMF is making recommendations to the Ukrainian government without taking into account the real socio-economic situation of the country. A further example is the suggested increase in retirement age, when the average life expectancy for many Ukrainians is lower than the actual retirement age (62.3 years for men).

The trade unions are ready to enter into discussions with the authorities but will carry out further actions if their rights continue to be violated.

PSI affiliates attend AIDS Conference in Vienna

The CUPE delegation

Read more on the conference here: http://www.aids2010.org/.

New federation: Global Unions Americas

On 6th July, a meeting of 10 global union federations and the ITUC, held in Montevideo, Uruguay, decided to create the Council of Global Unions in the Americas (CGU-Am). The new Council will give a regional perspective to the global challenges of organised labour, "contributing experience, vision and militancy in the strategy of new trade union internationalism," said Victor Báez, General Secretary of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA).

PSI was represented by Jocelio Drummond, Inter-American Regional Secretary, who said, "It's another step in a process that began at the founding of TUCA in 2008. This new Council of Global Unions in the Americas will be more able to respond to the challenges that globalization presents to the working class."
"For the International Federations it is impossible to think sectoral without thinking global," he added. "It is for this reason that the CGU-Am will give priority to issues such as financial institutions, the actions of transnational corporations and the continuing violations of trade union rights in the countries of the region."

The CGU-Am will meet at least once a year. Read more here.

Defending public services: recent PSI affiliate conventions

Many PSI affiliates held important conferences and conventions in recent months. Here are some event links that we’ve received:

AFSCME http://convention.afscme.org/
AFT http://www.aft.org/convention/
UNISON http://www.unison.org.uk/conference2010/
IMPACT http://www.impact.ie/iopen24/-t-297.html
NUPGE http://www.nupge.ca/content/nupge-triennial-convention-june-18th-20th-2010-vancouver-bc

Japan: RENGO signs policy agreement with the Democratic Party

On 17 June, President Nobuaki Koga (picutured left) of RENGO (Japanese Trade Union Confederation) and Prime Minister Naoto Kan signed an agreement on policy pledges and strengthened cooperation. The agreement includes:

• Adopting economic measures for job creation, human resource development/training and renewed growth.
• Establishment of "decent work" rules via an "Employment Charter".
• Strengthening the social safety net, including employment access, a livelihood support benefit system, pension benefits and better health care.
• Realising a good work-life balance with child care support, reform of the tax system and promotion of a new public policy.

See more here:  http://www.jilaf.or.jp/English-jilaf/mbn/2010/027.html.

PSI meeting with Asian Development Bank

PSI joined in a Communications Policy Review with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in early July. PSI was represented at the meeting by Greg McLean (Australian Services Union) and Rajeshewar Singh (Fiji Public Services Association). The PSI delegation raised issues such as:

• availability and transparence of information
• a consistent approach by the ADB concerning its engagement with civil society, trade unions and persons affected by ADB decisions
• advice from ADB committees needs to be binding

Meetings on consultation policy will continue until August, when a draft policy will be made available. If necessary, a second round of meetings with key stakeholders will follow.

See more here:  http://gmpsiaprec.blogspot.com/.

Welcome to UN Women

In an historic move, the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously on 2 July 2010 to create a new entity to accelerate progress in meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide.

The establishment of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women — to be known as UN Women — is a result of years of negotiations between UN Member States and advocacy by the global women’s movement. PSI, EI and the ITUC have supported the campaign since its inception to ensure that the voices of working women are not ignored.

“I am grateful to Member States for having taken this major step forward for the world’s women and girls,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement welcoming the decision. “UN Women will significantly boost UN efforts to promote gender equality, expand opportunity, and tackle discrimination around the globe.”

http://www.unwomen.org/

Decent pensions for nurses

A new publication highlights the difficulties of ensuring adequate pension coverage and income replacement for nurses, particularly for those with 'atypical' or 'non-standard' employment status. It also suggests a list of issues or questions that a wage earner could ask before deciding if and how to affiliate to a pension scheme.

The author of the report, Hedva Sarfati, used information obtained from PSI affiliates as the basis of her study. The publication is of particular interest to trade unionists who negotiate pension conditions in any sector - or individual members looking for more understanding of these complex issues.
 
The publication is available here (English only): http://www.ichrn.com/publications/policyresearch/ICHRN-Pensions.pdf

European agreement on prevention of medical sharps injuries

L to R: Godfrey Perera, HOSPEEM General Secretary, Karen Jennings, EPSU Health and Social Services Committee, and Carol Fischbach-Pyttel, EPSU General Secretary

The agreement was drawn up between the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers' Association (HOSPEEM). It will be implemented through EU Council Directive 2010/32/EU of 10 May 2010, and will be binding in the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA).

Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, EPSU General Secretary, explained the background of the Directive, specifying that member countries have three years to implement the agreement through national legislation. Karen Jennings, former President of the EPSU Health and Social Services Committee, who played an important part in the negotiations with the employers, said, "We have achieved a practioners' joint text that reflects reality, with both sides recognising that there is a problem and agreeing to take the necessary measures."

The Framework Agreement aims to achieve the safest possible working environment for employees in the sector by preventing workers' injuries caused by all medical sharps. It includes an integrated approach establishing policies in risk assessment, risk prevention, training, information, awareness raising and monitoring. Godfrey Perera, General Secretary of HOSPEEM, said, "This agreement is a good example of how quickly things can go when social partners work together, with trust and understanding. By working together, we have a primary role in reducing work place accidents."

The directive is available in the European Official Journal with links to translations in 23 languages. EPSU has also translated the Framework Agreement into Russian http://www.epsu.org/a/5651 (this language is not available on the EU website).

Petition against maritime piracy

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), the Global Union Federation for transport workers, is sponsoring a global e-petition against maritime piracy.
Piracy at sea has always threatened the lives of seafarers, but the recent growth of pirate attacks in the Somalia region has brought it to unprecedented public attention. The aim of the petition is to reach at least half a million signatures in time for  World Maritime Day, which is organised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London  on 23 September 2010. This year has been designated ‘The Year of the Seafarer’ by the IMO.
The petition is the centrepiece of a campaign against piracy and is backed by  trade unions, welfare organisations, shipowners and insurers.  The aim is to persuade all governments to commit the resources necessary to end the increasing problem of Somalia-based piracy. Currently at least 379 seafarers from 25 countries are being held hostage, some since December 2009.  In the last two years over 1800 seafarers have been kidnapped. 

Please help the ITF to promote the petition by:

• Signing the petition www.endpiracypetition.org 
• Forwarding the link www.endpiracynow.org to your contacts and networks and asking them to sign the petition and spread the word.
• Putting the petition on your website.
• Adding the petition link to your email signature.

Spate of arrests of Turkish trade unionists

Meryem Özsögut, Turkish trade unionist and member of the health union SES, a PSI affiliate in Turkey, has been arrested once again. Meryem was first arrested in 2008 due to her trade union activities. She was imprisoned for more than eight months before being released after a huge solidarity action led by PSI.

Meryem is once again accused of terrorist activities. PSI remains convinced that her arrest is further evidence of the Turkish government's hostility to trade unionists. During the International Labour Conference in June, Turkey was questioned about the spate of arrests of trade unionists, particularly those belonging to the Turkish confederation of public sector workers, KESK. The cases of Meryem  Özsögut and Seher Tümer from SES were specifically mentioned, as well as those of Metin Findik and Ferit and Bestas Epözdemir of PSI affiliate Tüm Bel Sen.

PSI is organising a special campaign to support our Turkish sisters and brothers. Please consult the PSI website regularly for the latest updates.

In support of Global Social Justice and World Public Services Day: ″Global Justice Now!” say 1500 rally activists

About 1,500 trade union activists called on world leaders to move towards global justice at a rally held outside the Vancouver Convention Centre on 24 June 2010. Delegates and guests to the ITUC Congress were joined by many local Canadian trade unionists, who together called for in-depth reform of the global financial system, including the introduction of a financial transaction tax. Rally speakers from all five continents also emphasised the critical role that public services play in our societies, and cheered in support of World Public Services Day, which is celebrated on June 23 every year. As Mody Guiro of the CNTS Senegal said: “Trade unions want strong public services at the service of the people and social security for all.”

Full text here

Photo gallery

Welcome to new PSI president Dave Prentis; a warm farewell to Ylva Thörn

Goodbye to Ylva....	and welcome Dave

The meeting of the PSI Steering Committee in May 2010 was the last meeting attended by Ylva Thörn, who has retired as leader of Kommunal in Sweden, and stepped down as president of PSI. She is replaced by first vice-president Dave Prentis. Ylva has been PSI president since 2002, and president of her union, Kommunal in Sweden, since 1996. Ylva assures us that she will still follow PSI with interest and we wish her the best in her future ventures. Dave Prentis is general secretary of the UK's biggest public sector union, Unison. He is a member of the UK Trades Union Congress (TUC) general council, TUC executive committee and the Trade Union Labour Party Liaison Committee. PSI welcomes Dave as our new PSI President.

Global Peace Index

The Institute for Economics and Peace has compiled the Global Peace Index (GPI). The Index is composed of 24 indicators, ranging from a nation’s level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights. It has been tested against a range of potential determinants of peace, including levels of democracy and transparency, education and national wellbeing. The Global Peace Index is intended to contribute significantly to the public debate on peace. See http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi-data/

PSI welcomes new global code for ethical recruitment of migrant health workers

Public Services International and the European Federation of Public Services Unions welcome the World Health Organization’s adoption of a code of practice for the international recruitment of health care workers, following more than six years of concerted lobbying and direct input by PSI and its affiliate unions. PSI will be launching an Ethical Recruitment Campaign so that trade unions can actively drive application of this code in their respective countries. The new WHO code directs that “international recruitment of health personnel be conducted in accordance with the principles of transparency, fairness and the promotion of sustainability of health systems in developing countries.”

Download the PSI Press release