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Europe

PSI is represented in Europe by the European Federation of Public Service Unions, based in Brussels. For more on our activities in this region, please see the EPSU website

You can also view a list of European affiliates or contact European regional offices

Addressing the human rights implications of privatization for women and girls

14 March 2019
This interactive side event to #CSW63, jointly organised by PSI, FEMNET and APWLD and opened by UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Philip Alston, focused with a human rights-based perspective on the privatization of public services.

There Can Be No Gender Equality Without Quality Public Services

11 March 2019

In an Op-ed published around the world, Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, writes about gender responsive quality public services and how women and girls are also the most impacted when countries offer poor basic facilities. Women´s access to social protection, gender-responsive quality public services and infrastructure is a priority of the international community and the main theme of UNCSW63, in which PSI is participating as part of the global union delegation.

A Quantum Leap for Gender Equality: For a Better Future of Work for All

11 March 2019

This new ILO report highlights key gender gaps and obstacles to decent work for women.

8 March - Women’s struggles need to be more bold and radical than ever

07 March 2019

Women’s Day is not a moment to celebrate the feminine. It is a day for political upheaval. Only by placing women’s struggles at the heart of labour action can we achieve the meaningful progress which generations of women have fought for. Read the PSI statement here.

This International Women’s Day, let’s call time on gender-based violence

07 March 2019

Gender-based violence blights the lives of millions of women. It excludes women from the world of work and often stigmatises them within their communities. Read the ITUC statement here.

EDF unions and management have training on implementing human and labour rights

27 February 2019

Eight months on from the signature of the renewal of the Global Framework Agreement (GFA) of EDF Group, over 25 trade union and management representatives came together on 19-20 February at the ILO International Training Centre in Turin to hone their skills to enable its implementation.

Right to Health - Issue 05

10 January 2019

Get the latest global news on health and social care services. People over Profit! #PublicHealth4All. Right to Health newsletter Issue 05/2018.

Migration is here to stay, funding public services is vital to address it

20 December 2018
George de Moussa - Lebanon

In an Op-ed published around the world, Geneviève Gencianos, PSI Migration Programme Coordinator, writes about public service workers who are at the frontline providing basic services to migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. It is through public services that we can fight inequality and build resilient and inclusive societies.

Dismissed care workers reinstated in Germany

18 December 2018

Carmen Laue and Heike Schmidt were reinstated as employees of the social care company Celenus, by a ruling of the Labour Court in Nordhausen in central Germany, on 17 October, 2018. The two union activists are members of Ver.di, a leading affiliate of PSI and the European Public Service Unions (EPSU).

Turkey: Health workers charged for rendering humanitarian services

18 December 2018

PSI attended the court hearing as an international solidarity observer for 14 health workers who face years in prison over their attempts to provide medical assistance to civilians during a curfew imposed by Turkish armed forces in the Kurdish-majority city of Cizre.

International Migrants Day - 18 December

18 December 2018

“In the face of conflict and climate related migration, we uphold the human right to quality public services in welcoming migrants and supporting inclusive and resilient communities.”

PSI joins civil society in welcoming the UN Global Compact on Refugees

18 December 2018

17 December 2018 marks the approval by the UN General Assembly of the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). A result of a series of thematic discussions and formal consultations conducted by the UNHCR from 2017 through 2018, the GCR aims to strengthen the international response to large movements of refugees and protracted refugee situations.

Quality Public Health for All: Time for Action

12 December 2018

12 December has been marked as Universal Health Coverage day, for some years now by UHC 2030 a multi-stakeholder partnership.

France: What care model do we want for the elderly?

12 December 2018

In France, EHPADs are residential establishments for elderly dependent people, sometimes known as a retirement home. EHPADs house elderly people over the age of 60 who have lost some physical and/or mental faculties and are no longer able to live at home. There are 7,200 EHPADs and 10,000 home care services in France. They house or provide support for 1.4 million elderly people and employ more than 700,000 workers.

PSI welcomes the adoption of the UN Global Compact on Migration

12 December 2018

Led by PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli, PSI came to Marrakesh with a 45-member strong trade union delegation. In addition to participating in the Adoption Conference, PSI organised a Strategy workshop and participated in the civil society days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, the Peoples Global Action and in the Global Unions Forum on Migration. On the eve of the Adoption Conference, PSI also organized a side event to promote a Stakeholders' Dialogue on Health Worker Migration and the Global Skills Partnerships, with the support of EPSU, WHO, FES and the German Federal Government.

Water and Sanitation are Human Rights, NOW!

21 March 2016
logo

On 22 March, PSI celebrated World Water Day. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 requires that governments ensure universal access to water and sanitation by 2030. However, we are seeing a new push for public-private partnerships (PPPs). We know that PPPs fail to deliver social and environmental targets, and PSI will help affiliates block this approach. We call for a rights-based approach, with public finance and management in the interests of all.

8th of March: Transforming the world of work for equal pay

06 March 2016
poster no difference at work

Public Services International (PSI) promotes the work of women trade unionists and stands united with all of our sisters who deliver vital public services. From the 8th of March to Friday the 25th, PSI joins its members around the world in celebrating women and their achievements.

Trade unionists killed and arrested in Turkey

21 January 2016

Sanitation worker Mehmet Kaplan, father of three children and member of PSI affiliate DİSK/Genel-İş Union in Cizre Municipality (Şırnak), was shot dead on 17 January in front of his house while another worker was seriously injured and a further three arrested in separate incidents.

Join the social media storm against fracking

08 December 2015
Ban Fracking

Public Services International (PSI) is supporting the Food & Water Watch initiative to Ban fracking Now.

Please join the social media storm on 10 December!

Support PCS strike at London's National Gallery

21 August 2015

Staff at London's National Gallery, organised by PSI affiliate the Public and commercial services union (PCS), have been on strike since February 2015 following the Gallery's decision to privatise almost all staff, including those who look after the paintings and help the gallery's six million annual visitors.

Hands off our right to strike!

13 February 2015
Right to strike logo

Public Services International joins the ITUC, ITF, EI and other Global Labour Federations in calling for unions to act in defence of the right to strike, which is under attack by employer groups at the ILO.

Turkey: PSI General Secretary meets dismissed health care workers, denounces attack on labour rights

13 January 2015

In December 2014, the hospital of Maltepe University in Istanbul dismissed nearly 100 workers for being members of the Progressive Union of Health Workers. PSI/EPSU ask all affiliates to join the LabourStart campaign calling for the reinstatement of these workers.

ILO Standard on Gender Based Violence

10 October 2014

The November 2014 session of the ILO Governing Body will again discuss a proposal to include a standard setting item on “violence against women and men in the world of work” on the agenda of a future International Labour Conference. This item was last discussed at the March 2014 Governing Body and whilst there was strong support from some governments, the proposal was not supported by the employers. The Worker’s Group has consistently supported the proposal as a first priority.

Robin Hood Tax arrives for the common good in Europe

15 May 2014

Public Services International welcomes the landmark news that 10 EU countries have agreed to introduce a financial transactions tax (FTT), also known as a Robin Hood Tax. PSI and our affiliates are proud to be working with civil society allies at the forefront of the global movement for tax justice, which includes campaigning for the FTT to end poverty and inequality by funding quality public services.

New global threat to public services

28 April 2014
No trade in public services image

On Monday 28th April, PSI affiliates, in collaboration with civil society organisations across the world, are mobilising for a day of action to protest the Trade In Services Agreement (TISA) negotiations. These are taking place regularly in secret in Geneva and the next round is on 28th April.
See PSI's Campaign release kit to download all documents.

Racism? Not for us!

22 March 2014

Speak out and take a stand against racism and xenophobia! On the eve of the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21 March 2014, Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of the global union federation Public Services International affirms that “our commitment to fight racism and all forms of discrimination is guided by respect for human rights and basic union principles: social justice, equality, collective action and collective responsibility”.

Support for Ukrainian trade unions

12 March 2014
Trade Union House, Kiev

PSI affiliates in Ukraine have requested assistance to help them to re-build Trade Union House, the headquarters of the FPU (national union confederation), burnt down during on 19 February during the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine. The building on Maidan square also housed several trade union offices and the EPSU regional office.

Trans Pacific Partnership is bad news for workers – call to action

25 February 2014
No TPP

Many unions and civil society groups fighting the Trans Pacific Partnership and the Fast Track process of this terrible free trade deal have been frustrated by the lack of mainstream media coverage, especially in America. The media's conspiracy of silence makes it hard to mobilize our members against the TPP and Fast Track because they aren't hearing anything about it.

Turkey: Stop the judicial harassment of trade unionists

23 January 2014
KESK rally outside Ankara criminal court - April 2012

PSI joins EPSU and ITUC in denouncing the Turkish government’s anti-union attacks as well as the abuse of the Turkish legal and judicial system by the authorities against the trade union movement.

PSI calls on its affiliates to take action now and tell the government of Turkey to stop judicial harassment against trade unionists.


Send your protest message, sign the ITUC online action or download the model letter

Innovative non-profit water partnerships in ACP countries

02 December 2013

PSI is calling upon affiliates to sign on to letter sent to the EU Commissioner for Development expressing concern about the future of EU support for innovative non-profit partnerships in the Water sector in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP).

Tackling Violence in the Health Sector - A Trade Union Response

16 April 2018
This report on trade union preparedness and actions to tackle violence against women and men in the world of work, was first released in 2016. In 2018, an updated version of the study is being released, integrating the latest achievements of our affiliated unions in the health sector. The workers, many of whom are women, daily face ever-increasing levels of violence and harassment in the world of work. They respond and deliver quality service with deepest commitment and ethical principles.

Executive Summary - Tackling Violence in the Health Sector

14 April 2018
PSI is pleased to present the updated report entitled “Tackling Violence in the Health Sector - A Trade Union Response”, a consolidated research effort first released in 2016. The 2018 updated version of the study integrates the latest achievements of our affiliated unions in the health sector.

Open letter from Rosa Pavanelli to the international trade union movement on the recent events involving the ILO Governing Body

28 March 2018

"The method and content of the actions of the Workers’ Group leadership is the latest episode revealing a structural lack of cooperation, solidarity and democracy among the global trade unions. We regret to say that with this action PSI has lost confidence and trust in the Workers’ Group leadership", says the PSI's General Secretary.

Equal Pay and Closing the Gender Pay Gap

04 March 2018

This statement provides an overview of three key areas where PSI affiliate UNISON has been leading campaigns and collective bargaining to end gender pay discrimination and to win equal pay for its members. This is part of PSI's online campaign for International Women's Day.

Privatisation of Migration & Refugee Services & Other Forms of State Disengagement

11 December 2017

This research, written by Jane Lethbridge, Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), examines the effects of the privatisation of services for refugees and migrants at national and international level.

Report: Trade Union Action on Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities

05 December 2017

Trade unions are working all over the world on disability issues. This research captures and summarises trade union action on disability from over 50 countries, including developed, emerging and developing economies. The research offers a new perspective to trade unions who have not worked on this issue, and points to opportunities for others to develop their work further.

Posters: World Cities Day 2017

25 October 2017

The posters for World Cities Day 2017 are available for download in English, French and Spanish.

Click directly on the poster you wish to download for a high resolution PDF for printing.

Double standards: How the UK promotes rip-off health PPPs abroad

02 October 2017

The Jubilee Debt Campaign has released a new report: ‘Double standards: How the UK promotes rip-off health PPPs abroad’ (24 pages, with a 4 page executive summary). PSI and its affiliates has substantially contributed to the content of the report.

LRG/Municipal workers memes

20 July 2017

Download PSI's memes for LRG/Municipal sector workers - use them to promote and support the invaluable work of these PSI members !!

Whistleblower protection – how serious are governments in addressing corruption

12 July 2017

Extract from the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017" -the new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

Four critical steps to operationalize the New Urban Agenda’s transformative commitment to decent work and inclusive and sustainable cities

12 July 2017

Extract from the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017" -the new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

Healthcare is not a commodity but a public good

12 July 2017

Extract from the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017" -the new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

Decent work requires decent public policies

12 July 2017

Extract from the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017" -the new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

The new generation of PPPs in infrastructure – meeting the needs of institutional investors

10 July 2017

Extract from the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017" -the new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

Spotlight Report: "Reclaiming Policies for the Public"

07 July 2017

Report by the Civil Society Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Collective Bargaining in the Municipal Public Sector

06 June 2017

PSI is jointly organising a panel debate with the Municipal Workers’ Confederation of Argentina (CTM) and the Confederation of Municipal Workers of the Americas (CONTRAM-ISP AMERICAS) on the issue of Collective Bargaining in the Municipal Public sector focusing on the experiences and challenges from the Province of Buenos Aires and specifically on Act 14656 on Labour Relations and Collective Bargaining.

Towards a global campaign on PPPs: PSI/Eurodad workshop

03 June 2017

The time is now for NGOs and trade unions to exchange ideas on potential advocacy and campaign activities for the year ahead and, if possible, agree on joint actions to further strengthen collaboration and work towards a global campaign on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

Global Conference on Children on the Move (Berlin)

19 May 2017

The Initiative on Child Rights in the Global Compacts, which PSI is part of, is organising the Global Conference on Children on the Move taking place in Berlin, Germany, on 12-13 June. During this conference, participants will assess progress and develop strategies around implementing commitments to children on the move.

 

Interactive webinar on “Ending gender-based violence in the world of work”

18 May 2017
Stop gender-based violence at work!

Join us for an interactive webinar on “Ending gender-based violence in the world of work” taking place on 29 May from 14h-15h30 Brussels (GMT+1) – check your time here. Interpretation will be available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian. Register to join by following the instructions.

ILO Experts Meeting on Unions’ Action to Promote Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities

05 May 2017
Photo: ILO

PSI will be participating in this ILO conference on "Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities". The conference aims to disseminate research and raise awareness on inclusion of persons with disabilities and the relation between this and decent work. The conference will be looking to identify ways forward for both trade unions and the ILO itself.

Women work mobility development & economic justice

10 March 2017

On 16 March at the 61st UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York the Women in Migration Network (WIMN) convenes a dialogue integrating strategies and feminist movements. This parallel event will be held at 10:30 am at the Church Center for the United Nations. PSI is co-sponsoring this event. Moradeke Abiodun - Badru, representing PSI affiliate The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), will be speaking on behalf of PSI.

PSI attends seminar on the Human Right to Water in the Vatican City

23 February 2017

PSI delegation including Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, take part in the human right to water seminar on 23 and 24 February at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican City.

ILO Tripartite Meeting on Improving Employment and Working Conditions in Health Services (Geneva)

06 February 2017

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss decent work strategies that effectively address health workforce shortages, as a prerequisite to enable provision of equal access to health care for all in need, with a view to adopting conclusions on future programme development and to inform policy-making on the selected topic at the international, regional and national levels.

More information on ILO website.

 

ITUC/Global Unions and World Bank/IMF High level meetings

31 January 2017

PSI is part of the trade union delegation attending the two and a half days meetings with the IMF and World Bank and will be represented as a discussant in the session on "Joint work towards universal social protection and healthcare"'.

140th WHO Executive Board

23 January 2017

The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms. This year the annual Board meeting is held from 23 January – 1 February. The members will agree upon the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be considered by the Health Assembly.

High-Level Policy Forum & OECD Health Ministerial (Paris)

13 January 2017

Public Services International (PSI) and The Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) will be participating and contributing to the High-Level Policy Forum on 16 January and OECD Health Ministerial on 17 January 2017.

Women Power Unions: Global Trade Union UNCSW Preparatory meeting (New York)

06 December 2016

Trade union representatives to attend Global Union/FES meeting in New York to develop strategy for upcoming UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW61), the principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Providing Education to Refugee Children from Conflict Areas in the Middle East - Fast track to Equal Opportunities and Integration (Sweden)

15 November 2016

On 21-22 November, PSI will be participating in a Conference organised by Education International (EI) in Stockholm, Sweden, on Providing Education to Refugee Children from Conflict Areas in the Middle East - Fast track to Equal Opportunities and Integration.

PSI Health Task Force (Geneva)

10 November 2016
Photo: Direct Relief - Creative Commons

PSI is holding this meeting with major affiliates in the health and social services sector to review and renew the PSI health and social services strategy, and to collect views and develop a consensus on the actions that affiliates and PSI should pursue with regard to the major issues that we have provisionally identified for the sector.

Video: Multinationals are depriving developing countries of their fair share of taxes

12 June 2015

Eva Joly, French magistrate and politician for Europe Écologie–The Greens, speaks at the ICRICT panel in Trento, Italy on 2 June 2015.

Video: Multinationals are attacking democracy

12 June 2015

Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, speaks at the ICRICT panel on tax reform in Trento, Italy on 2 June 2015.

Video: ILO Director General’s intervention at EB-147

11 June 2015

Guy Ryder, ILO Director General, speaks at the PSI Executive Board meeting (EB-147) that took place in Geneva, Switzerland on 27-28 May 2015.

Video: The IMF, health systems and the Ebola crisis

09 June 2015

Alexander E. Kentikelenis, University of Cambridge (UK), speaks at the PSI Executive Board meeting (EB-147) that took place in Geneva, Switzerland on 27-28 May 2015.

Audio: RadioLabour report on ILC 2015

08 June 2015

Radio Labour reports from the Interntional Labour Conference 2015 with the speeches by trade union leaders Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary and Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary.

Video: Why Public-Private Partnerships don’t work

16 March 2015

In this video, PSI Deputy General Secretary David Boys introduces the new publication “Why Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) don’t work” by Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU).

This is what energy democracy looks like

10 March 2015

With climate change looming, we are facing an energy emergency. How can unions fight for change? Watch and share TUED's new animated video on energy democracy.

Video: Rosa Pavanelli at the UN High-Level session on advancing gender equality

09 March 2015

Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, addresses the UN High-level panel session on advancing gender equality in New York, 6 March 2015.

Photos: Global Trade in Services Forum

23 October 2014

PSI’s Global Trade in Services Forum, From GATS to TISA, held in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the Our World Is Not For Sale (OWINFS) network, held on 17 October 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland, is the first ever global conference to provide a critical perspective on the TISA.

Photos: PSI Global Trade Summit

23 September 2014

PSI, affiliate leaders and partners convened in Washington, D.C., 15-17 September 2014 to discuss the new threats posed to workers, public services, democracy and our communities by trade and investment agreements.

Photos: People's Climate March 2014

23 September 2014

Following the strategic discussion on advancing social ownership of energy organised by the Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED), PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, and participants joined in the People's Climate March where over 400,000 people demonstrated in the streets of New York.

Video: Climate Change and Energy Democracy

22 September 2014

Ahead of the People's Climate March on 21 September in New York City, PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, and author and activist Naomi Klein, talk about Climate Change, Energy Democracy and the role of the trade unions.

Audio: RadioLabour report on the Global Trade Summit

19 September 2014

Public services unions worldwide are determined to open to public scrutiny a new wave of global trade agreements, which are now being discussed behind closed doors. Listen to the RadioLabour report on PSI's Global Trade Summit.

Video: The history and geopolitics of trade in services

18 September 2014

Listen to Robert Stumberg, Professor of Law and Director Harrison Institute for Public Law/Georgetown Law, on how 30 years of liberalization and the new wave of trade agreements limit the role of government and deepen corporate power.

Video: Union leaders open new trade agreements to public debate

18 September 2014

Union leaders from around the world convened in Washington DC, 15-17 September 2014, to discuss the new threats posed to workers, public services, democracy and our communities by trade and investment agreements.