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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

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.

Advancing Women's Human Rights through Gender Responsive Public Services

12 December 2018

This Expert paper by PSI proposes that the UNCSW adopt the framework of Gender Responsive Quality Public Services (GRQPS) and in doing so address the primary barriers to the delivery of GRQPS and the enablers of GRQPS and women’s human rights, including labour rights of those workers who are strategic in front line-public services.

Pulling out of the Migration Compact is an irresponsible step in the wrong direction

12 December 2018

The Council of Global Unions strongly denounces the ill-conceived decision of a number of UN Member States not to sign the historic agreement on 10 December 2018, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).

Cleaners in public buildings in Geneva want to return to the public sector

11 December 2018

Several years ago, the Geneva office in charge of public buildings in the Canton took the decision to contract out the cleaning work in the buildings to private companies. This has resulted in a huge loss for the workers, and they are campaigning for the cleaning to return to the public sector.

70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

10 December 2018

Today, 10 December, we celebrate International Human Rights Day and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Over 2,000 signatures to halt declining working conditions and pensions at Geneva hospitals

06 December 2018

More than 2,000 employees from the Geneva university hospitals (HUG) in Switzerland have signed a petition asking for dramatic changes to their working conditions and pension fund allowances. Keen to provide quality public services, they denounce the declining work conditions that they face daily, and which prevent them from providing the services required.

Safe Workers Save Lives: PSI Health Priorities and Trade Union Response to the Ebola Virus Disease

21 September 2016
Photo: UNMEER/Martine Perret. Creative Commons

At the start of the Ebola crisis, PSI was contacted by its affiliates from the three most affected countries with the alarming news that health workers were dying on the workfloor. This update reports on the work that has taken place on the ground since the implementation of PSI's Ebola response strategy.

PSI General Secretary statement at the 2nd ComHEEG meeting

20 September 2016

This second meeting of the UN High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth (ComHEEG) aims at finalising and formally endorsing the recommendations and the report of the Commission, as well as discussing the way forward towards implementation of these recommendations.

Gender and Tax Justice Resources

07 September 2016

These presentations and concept note were produced for PSI's global forum "No Gender Justice Without Tax Justice" held in London, 30 June-1 July 2016.

Bisexuality: a trade union issue

02 August 2016

UNISON is one of the UK's largest trade unions, with more than 1.3 million members. UNISON represents all staff who provide public services in both the public and private sectors. UNISON has a long and proud history on equality, recognising that bisexual people face particular issues at work and striving to tackle biphobic prejudice and discrimination. Bisexual people are those who feel attraction to more than one gender. The 2010 Equality Act protects bisexual people (and lesbian, gay and heterosexual people) from discrimination because of their sexual orientation.

Factsheet: Lesbian, gay & bisexual workers' rights

01 August 2016
UNISON logo

This factsheet contains information about the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual workers and sets out a bargaining agenda for branches. It includes information on the law and a negotiating checklist, which is on page 9. In UNISON, lesbian, gay and bisexual members organise together with transgender members. There are many areas of common concern, but important areas of difference. There is a separate UNISON factsheet on Transgender workers rights.

Gender identity: An introductory guide for trade union reps supporting trans members

01 August 2016

This guide is for UNISON workplace reps supporting trans UNISON members at work. It gives a background to what it means to be trans followed by practical advice on common workplace issues.

Out in: UNISON newsletter on LGBT issues

01 August 2016
Out in: UNISON newsletter on LGBT issues

Out in is the newsletter on LGBT equality in UNISON. Out in UNISON is published three times a year,

Factsheet: Transgender workers' rights

01 August 2016
UNISON logo

This factsheet gives information about the rights of transgender people at work and good practice for employers and UNISON branches. It includes information on the law, support for members undergoing gender reassignment and checklists for negotiating for branches. In UNISON, transgender members organise together with lesbian, gay and bisexual members. There are many areas of common concern, but important areas of difference. There is a separate factsheet on Lesbian, gay and bisexual workers rights.

PSI Speech delivered at ILO Tripartite Technical Meeting on refugees

05 July 2016
ILO TTM on refugees

PSI Migration Programme Coordinator, Genevieve Gencianos, delivered a speech on 5 July at the Opening Session of the ILO Tripartite Technical Meeting on the Access of Refugees and other Forcibly Displaced Persons to the Labour Market. The meeting is being held from 5-7 July in Geneva, Switzerland.

Investment Court System (ICS): The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

29 June 2016

PSI has joined a growing number of voices pointing out that the new wave of so called “trade agreements” no longer have much to do with trade. Rather, these secret agreements create binding laws, away from democratic parliamentary institutions, to give rights to foreign investors and the largest multinational corporations on the planet.

United Nations General Assembly High Level Summit on Large Flows of Migrants and Refugees

17 June 2016

On 19 September 2016, the United Nations General Assembly will hold a “High Level Summit on Large Flows of Migrants and Refugees” at the UN in New York. The summit will call for a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees, which includes a comprehensive response plan on refugees and the strengthening of the global governance of migration.

AöW Comments to the Draft Interim Technical Report on TSIA-TTIP

10 June 2016

In a letter to ECORYS Nederaland BV, the Alliance of Public Water Management (AöW), the representation of interests of public water management in Germany, submits its comments to the Draft Interim Technical Report on the Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (TSIA) on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the USA.

Public ownership of the UK energy system – benefits, costs and processes

18 April 2016

A new report by Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) and the UK NGO We Own It, calls for a return to public ownership and management of key elements of the British energy system. The report builds on years of research that demonstrate the excess costs of privatization, the negative impact on energy workers and on UK households, and the distortions of UK energy policy.

Comments on Expert Group background note for the first meeting of the UN High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth

24 March 2016

PSI gave evidence to the United Nations High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth in Lyon, France on 23 March 2016. PSI argued that public spending on public health was both a government obligation to ensure universal access to health care and an investment in economic growth.

World Women’s Committee (WOC Nov 2011)

23 November 2011

Please note that the documents for this meeting are available to members of the Women's Committee only. To view them you will need to login with your username and password.

Veuillez noter que les documents pour cette réunion ne sont disponibles que pour les membres du Comité mondial des femmes. Pour les visualiser et les télécharger, veuillez vous connecter avec votre nom d’utilisateur et votre mot de passe.

World Women's Committee (WOC - May 2012)

30 January 2011

Please note that the documents for this meeting are available to members of the Women's Committee only. To view them you will need to login with your username and password.

Veuillez noter que les documents pour cette réunion ne sont disponibles que pour les membres du Comité mondial des femmes. Pour les visualiser et les télécharger, veuillez vous connecter avec votre nom d’utilisateur et votre mot de passe.