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No Trade in Public Services

The recent wave of trade agreements are direct threats to the provision of Quality Public Services. These new agreements encourage privatisation, restrict governments’ ability to regulate in the public interest and create new and powerful rights for large multinational corporations. They are also a threat to democracy and accountability of government. They are being negotiated in secret, without proper consultation and will bind future governments, often regardless of the decisions of national elections, parliaments and courts. PSI urges all affiliates to understand the implications and join our allies to oppose the harmful effects of these agreements.

Photos: Anti-TISA demonstration in Geneva

06 May 2014

On 28 April 2014, Public Services International, together with Swiss trade unions and civil society organisations, held a demonstration in front of the Australian mission in Geneva. The Australian mission was the venue of the secret negotiations for the TISA (Trade in Services Agreement) which governments are pushing and which will make it easier for big multinational companies to take over vital public services, such as health care and education, which you and your family rely on. For more information: see our web pages

PSI at the anti-TISA demonstration in Geneva, 28 April 2014

29 April 2014

On 28 April, Public Services International, together with Swiss trade unions and civil society organisations, held a demonstration in front of the Australian mission in Geneva.

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.

Media release: Secret negotiations threaten public services in 50 countries

28 April 2014

A new report by Public Services International (PSI) warns that governments are planning to take the world on a liberalisation spree on a scale never seen before. The report comes as governments are resuming multilateral talks on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) at a closed-door meeting in Geneva, starting 28 April 2014. Under the name the ´Really Good Friends of Services,’ a group of 50 countries— representing an estimated 70 per cent share of the world’s trade in services—are negotiating the TISA.

Geneva: Protest rally against Trade In Services Agreement

22 April 2014

Monday 28 April, members of the Swiss trade unions, global unions and civil society will lead an international day of action to protest against the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA). In Geneva, the protest will take place before the Permanent Mission of Australia (Chemin des Fins 2, 1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland) , where negotiations are taking place in secret.

10th FIQ Congress

11 April 2014
Mark Langevin at FIQ Congress

The FIQ (Fédération Interprofessionelle de la santé du Québec) held its 10th Congress from 7 to 10th April 2014 in Quebec city. 700 delegates from all over Quebec participated.

Video: Hands off our medecines

09 April 2014

Watch what Medicine Sans Frontier has to say about the TPP

Act now on EU-Canada trade negotiations!

03 March 2014
Canadian and European flags

The EPSU Executive Committee meeting in Brussels on 11-12 February 2014 raised a number of concerns regarding current trade negotiations, including the EU-US (TTIP) and EU-Canada (CETA) negotiations.

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.

Media Release: Bali deal confirms WTO not able to reconcile trade and development

09 December 2013
David Robinson EI - Rosa Pavanelli PSI

The official package agreed in Bali and released with great fanfare on 7 December demonstrates how unbalanced the global trade agenda still is.

The WTO continues to be unable to craft trade policies that serve development and are consistent with the most important issues for the world’s poor, such as food security.

While India’s refusal to accept a temporary solution on food security has been addressed, the terms of the deal are much less favourable, leaving many other developing countries vulnerable in the medium term, with only a much watered down LDC package in return.

WTO: PSI says no to trade in public services

07 December 2013
The dangers of liberalising services

Latest update - 9 december: The official package agreed in Bali and released with great fanfare on 7 December demonstrates how unbalanced the global trade agenda still is. The WTO continues to be unable to craft trade policies that serve development and are consistent with the most important issues for the world’s poor, such as food security.
Read the full media release: Bali deal confirms WTO not able to reconcile trade and development.

Photos: PSI Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) Forum - Bali

06 December 2013

PSI presented a special forum at the 9th WTO Ministerial in Bali. This forum aimed to shed light in dark corners: Why is a new services agreement required? Why must it be negotiated in secrecy outside the multilateral process? Why are so many developing countries refusing to participate? What benefit will it provide to the majority in the community?

Will America destroy the WTO?

03 December 2013
Rosa Pavanelli - PSI General Secretary

EDITORIAL OPINION - 3 December 2013:

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference opens in Bali today. A tang of fear and desperation wafts from huddles of developed world negotiators. In the last 48 hours, India and other developing countries have been put under intense pressure to agree a deal at any cost.

The collapse of the talks in Geneva last week, that sent the USA and its allies scurrying to blame India and the developing world, was dramatic. However it was entirely predictable.

Fair deal or no deal in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP)

02 December 2013

Staff and members of the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) attended a rally for a FAIR DEAL or NO DEAL in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) in Sydney, Australia on 29th November. The rally was called by the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) and was held in Sydney outside of the US Consulate.

Double whammy hits TPPA

19 November 2013

‘Two king hits in one day for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement is a bad omen for chief negotiators and hundreds of officials as they head into a crunch meeting in Salt Lake City next week’, according to Auckland University Professor Jane Kelsey, who monitors the negotiations.