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Inter-America

In North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, 140 labor organizations in 35 countries are affiliated to PSI, with a total membership of about 3.3 million workers. The regional office is currently based in São Paulo, Brazil. Contact the regional offices.

50 years later, we still have a dream

24 June 2018

Inspired by Martin Luther King, an American movement, "The Poor People's Campaign", made up of trade unionists, poor workers, members of religious organizations and liberal activists will be in Washington on June 23 to protest for dignified jobs and decent wages. They did not choose this date at random: it is international Public Service Day.

AFT protests Trump policies at UN Headquarters

20 June 2018

On World Refugee Day, the American Federation of Teachers organized a protest in front of the United Nations in New York to call for an immediate end to the policy of the Trump administration to separate families of migrants and refugees at the border.

Privatization Watch - 03/2018

20 June 2018
Photo: Infrastructure. ©Shutterstock.com/Zhangyang13576997233

Latest issue of #PrivatizationWatch (03/2018) - The Global newsletter on privatization of public services around the world.

The Future is Public (Montreal)

12 June 2018

The Future is Public is a two-day gathering of union leaders, activists, researchers, and community groups designed to share ideas and proposals around building a pro-public movement in Canada.

PSI North America SUBRAC (Washington)

12 June 2018
PSI North American affiliates from the USA and Canada will be meeting in Washington 14-15 June. The meeting has a heavy agenda before it with a special focus on anti-privatization campaigns and trade issues.

UN Conference of State Parties to the Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

12 June 2018
Shutterstock

PSI is participating for the first time in the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) held in New York from 12-14 June. PSI is also jointly organising a side event on 13 June, to identify how Social Dialogue is, or could be, used to ensure the implementation of the CRPD.

“It would be hard to take part in the ILC without PSI's guidance” – interview with Santiago Yupe from Guatemala

05 June 2018

On the sidelines of the International Labour Conference, PSI is hearing stories of unionists from across the world, fighting for their most basic workers’ rights. Interview with Santiago Yupe Perén, Secretary General of the Sindicato de Trabajadores del Instituto de Fomento Municipal (SITRAINFOM), Guatemala.

PSI General Secretary addresses the ILC Plenary

04 June 2018

The commitment of trade union members to build a better world is stronger than ever; as greater than ever are inequality and injustice, said PSI Secretary General, Rosa Pavanelli, when she addressed the Plenary of the International Labour Conference in Geneva.

PSI and IndustriALL sign renegotiated Global Framework Agreement with EDF Group

28 May 2018

On 29 May 2018 PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli, IndustriAll General Secretary Valter Sanchez and EDF Group CEO Jean-Bernard Lévy signed a renewed Global Framework Agreement on Corporate Social Responsibility covering human and labour rights in the presence of the International Labour Organization Director General Guy Ryder, during the 107th session of the International Labour Conference with the participation of French trade unions .

FOCUS on tax justice - International union rights

17 May 2018

FOCUS on tax justice is Volume 25 Issue 1 2018 of the journal of International Union Rights. The journal is published four times a year in English and has earned a reputation as the leading independent forum for global trade union debate, winning a readership in more than 100 countries worldwide. The editorial "Corporate tax dodging is stealing from workers and must be stopped" in this issue was written by PSI.

Equality and Dignity for All

17 May 2018

"To live happily, let's live in the closet": For millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and intersex (LGBTII) people, it's not just a privacy issue, but the only way to escape prison or to live full stop. #IDAHOT

Right to Health - Issue 04 (April/May 2018)

09 May 2018

Get the latest global news on health and social care services. People over Profit! #PublicHealth4All. Right to Health newsletter Issue 04 (April/May 2018).

Asuncion: municipal workers, waste pickers and the community in strategic alliance for a quality public waste collection service

06 May 2018

Since the campaign to bring the municipal waste collection service back into the public sector in 2003, the Asuncion Municipal Workers’ Union (Sindicato de Obreros y Empleados de la Municipalidad de Asuncion, SINOEMA) affiliated to the PSI, has worked hard to maintain a quality service. The union encourages working class solidarity with recyclers and other informal workers because it understands that they and the community have an important role in keeping waste management under municipal control.

Esquel: recognition of the workers’ contribution and community participation – keys to the success of integrated waste management

04 May 2018

What began as a pilot project in the mid-1990s is today a benchmark for Urban Integrated Solid Waste Management (GIRSU - UISWM). Recognition of the contribution made by workers, combined with the involvement and commitment of the community, have been key factors in the success of the local plan.

May Day: forget the elites, it's workers' stories which need to be told

30 April 2018

PSI launches video series featuring 16 stories from nine countries – Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Italy, USA, Chad, Lebanon, Guatemala and Brazil - to praise the work of public servants around the world.

Charter: PSI Education Support and Cultural Workers’ Network

22 April 2015

During the founding meeting of the PSI Education Support and Cultural Workers Network (ESCW), that took place on 18-19 November 2014 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a charter of the network was adopted.

Survey results - Founding Meeting of PSI Education Support and Cultural Workers Network

20 April 2015

The survey's aim was to identify PSI affiliates that organize Education Support Workers. The survey was released in July 2014 in 7 different languages. There were 40 respondents from 21 different countries.

Our public water future: The global experience with remunicipalisation

18 April 2015

Privatisation on the backfoot as new book shows that the growing wave of cities putting water back under public control has now spread to 37 countries impacting 100 million people.

Information for activities in Mexico during the week of IAMRECON 2015

19 March 2015

A series of activities and meetings will precede the Inter-Regional Conference 2015, known as IAMRECON by its acronym in English. IAMRECON is held every five years and involves all affiliates in the Inter-Americas region. This event provides an excellent opportunity to organise a number of pre-conference meetings which are:

IAMRECON - Programa/Timetable

19 March 2015

The programme for IAMRECON, taking place from 23-24 April, and the preliminary meetings, taking place from 20-22 April, is now available.

Publication: Why Public-Private Partnerships don’t work

17 March 2015
Why Public Private Partnerships don’t work

The new report Why Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) don’t work: The many advantages of the public alternative contains a combination of 30 years of research by David Hall, former Director of Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) University of Greenwich, UK.

Negotiating Healthy Trade in Australia

03 March 2015

This report published by the Centre for Health Equity Training Research and Evaluation provides an overview of the dimensions of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) relevant to health, the process and findings of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) - including characterising the potential health impacts based on the literature and stakeholder input - and recommendations to the Australian Government to avoid or mitigate potential harms from the TPP. The authors intend for the HIA to inform negotiations and health sector advocacy on the TPP.

Report: Unhappy Meal

27 February 2015

This report is the product of a coalition of European and American trade unions, representing more than 15 million workers in different sectors of the economy in 40 countries, and War on Want, the U.K.-based anti-poverty campaign group. The members of the coalition work towards an economy built on decent jobs and a fair, progressive tax system at the global, E.U., and national levels. It is the first time that we have joined forces to highlight an example of corporate tax avoidance, a critical issue a¬ecting the future of democracy and the welfare state.

Wealth: Having It All and Wanting More

25 February 2015

This research paper published by Oxfam International shows that the richest 1 percent have seen their share of global wealth increase from 44 percent in 2009 to 48 percent in 2014 and at this rate will be more than 50 percent in 2016.

Banner: Right to strike

13 February 2015

Use these banners in your Right to Strike activities on 18 February and until 21 March.

Secret proposal for trade in health services in direct conflict with global agenda for health

03 February 2015

A recently leaked proposal tabled by Turkey in the TISA negotiations argues for a system that promotes insurance reimbursement (for those who have health insurance) for treatment at lower cost in another country.

PLADA - Development platform of the Americas

30 January 2015

This document was published by the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) through the Union FES Project, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Programme of Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) of the ILO.

PSI and EI Cooperation Agreement

18 December 2014

On 18th December 2014, PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, and EI General Secretary, Fred Van Leeuwen, signed a cooperation agreement that will strengthen public sector unions in their joint action.

Briefing on US TISA proposal on E-commerce, Technology Transfer, Cross-border Data Flows and Net Neutrality

17 December 2014

A proposal by the US Trade Representative (USTR) dated 25 April 2014 to the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) negotiations has been leaked. It focuses on e-commerce, technology transfer, cross-border data flows and net neutrality.

On Migrants Day, PSI reiterates its commitment to decent work and social protection for all

15 December 2014
Photo: Gustave Deghilage - Creative Commons

Public Services International (PSI) marks December 18th – International Migrants Day, with continued vigour and commitment to fight for decent work and social protection for migrant workers.

Anti-corruption conference

20 February 2014

Around 300 civil servants and officials from different Colombian public control and auditing bodies are expected to for this conference on the fight against corruption in public administration.

PSI Sub-regional Advisory Committees for USA and Canada (SUBRACs) and Labor Rights Seminar

29 January 2014

Canadian and United States PSI affiliates gathered in Washington, D.C. on January 30, 2014 to discuss the attacks on labor rights in North America.

Event: Trade union rights in Guatemala

26 November 2013

Please join us to meet Luis Lara and Dora Regina, the leaders of PSI affiliate SNTSG (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Salud) and leaders of the Frente Nacional de Lucha : They have come to Brussels to meet the EU Parliament and European trade unionists. Dora and Luis will give a short talk, followed by a reception.

PSI/FES project meeting: Influencing the debates on public policy and the development agenda in the Caribbean

12 November 2013

This is the final workshop in the current 3-year co-operation project between PSI and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES). The project pursues the following specific objective: The international trade union movement has promoted the debate on an economically, ecologically and socially sustainable international economic order.

PSI Workshop at the WTO Forum

27 September 2013
Someone typing on a computer

PSI has been selected to run a workshop at the WTO Annual forum where we can explain to Ambassadors and trade negotiators from all over the globe why the TISA hurts quality public services.

PSI Interamericas LGBT Regional Committee Meeting

08 July 2013
LGBT meeting Brazil

This is the first meeting of the LGBT Committee of ISP-Americas held for the creation of a Committee as specified in “The Promotion of Equal opportunities for LGBT Workers in the Public Sector in Brazil and the Inter-Americas”. The meeting took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil on 27-28 June 2013.

Mission to Guatemala

25 June 2013

The global union federation Public Services International is leading an international delegation of trade union leaders to meet with Guatemala’s President and leading ministers on August 13-14, 2013.

World Water Day

22 March 2013