We've moved to a new site!

Join us at publicservices.international - for all the latest news, resources and struggles from around the world.

We are no longer updating world-psi.org and it will be progressively phased out: all content will be migrated to the new site and old links will redirect eventually.

  1. Home
  2. Issues
  3. No Trade in Public Services

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.

Why TPP is a bad deal for America and American workers

28 April 2016
STOP the TPP

From the rhetoric of proponents of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a sweeping trade and investment pact between the U.S. and 11 Asia-Pacific countries, it would be easy to conclude that the agreement is an economic panacea for the shrinking middle class and stagnant wages faced by most workers in America. The reality is more sobering: There are good economic reasons to believe that TPP will not only fail to provide the promised benefits but actually make things worse.

Campaign against TPPA and TISA approved in PSI's regional meeting in Chile

13 April 2016

Representatives of unions affiliated to PSI agreed to make mobilization efforts, partnerships with civil society, lobbying parliaments and campaign material that allows raising public awareness through simple language to explain the negative impact of this type of treaty.

PSI Canada Statement on CETA and ICS

31 March 2016
Photo: POUR

Public Service International (PSI) affiliated unions from Canada have concluded the North America Sub-regional meeting in Ottawa from March 3-4, 2016 in agreement that recent changes to the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) do nothing to address its fundamental flaws or to mitigate the harm it will cause.

RCEP threatens tax policies in India and other 15 countries

01 March 2016
map

The website of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has no mention of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on which officials from 16 countries, including India, met for a round of secret trade talks in Brunei from 15-19 February. This mega Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to be concluded by the end of 2016.

Trade unions and social organizations say 'Chile better without TPPA'

10 February 2016
Members of different social organizations and unions protested on February 4 against the TPPA (Photo: Nayareth Quevedo)

Members from different social organizations and trade unions came out on February 4 to the streets to protest against the TPPA, signed at the same day in New Zealand by 12 countries, including Chile, Mexico, Peru, United States and Canada.

Race to sign TPPA highlights growing public anger

01 February 2016

Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) advocates are racing to have the deal signed in New Zealand on February 4th, before growing public opposition makes the agreement a political liability. PSI urges affiliates to join the world-wide protests against the signing and let politicians know that they do not want to have a hand in ratifying this dirty deal.

National convention in India calls for defence of people's rights at WTO Nairobi ministerial

09 December 2015
Photo: Copyright Benny Kuruvilla

More than 200 people representing political parties, mass organisations, trade unions, peasant unions, women, student, youth and campaign organisations met at a National Convention in New Delhi, India, in defence of people’s rights at the upcoming WTO Ministerial.