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Local and Regional Government/Municipal sector

Local and regional governments (LRG)/municipal sector workers run essential services in cities, metropolitan areas and territories servicing millions of people and communities every day. Our members work in public administrations; public utilities such as water and sanitation, electricity, and solid waste. They operate public transport and maintain public spaces; work in social, culture and education services such as libraries, museums, kindergartens, schools and universities. They are health and social services workers. Firefighters, emergency, medical first responders and municipal police are also among LRG/municipal workers. PSI defends and promotes the union and labour rights of LRG/municipal workers and advocates their decent working and living conditions so that they can sustainably deliver accessible, quality public services to the local communities and territories they serve and successfully confront the many challenges posed by rapid urbanization and globalization. Join the discussion on PSI's LRG/Municipal Workers Facebook Group.

PSI delegation voices public sector union issues at UCLG world congress

15 November 2016
UCLG 2016

A PSI delegation of Local and Regional Government/Municipal trade unions from Colombia together with representatives of PSI regional and Head offices voiced public sector workers’ issues at the 5th World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, the Congress of the United Cities and Local Government Global Network (UCLG) that took place 12-15 October 2016 in Bogotà, Colombia.  Held every three years, the Summit elects the new UCLG President and Executive Committee.

PSI Local and Regional Government Unions set common priorities and launch Global LRG/Municipal Workers’ Network

25 October 2016
LRG meeting

Over 60 PSI affiliated union representatives from the local and regional government sector (LRG) and from 30 countries worldwide gathered in Brussels, Belgium, last 19 September for a PSI and EPSU convened global LRG/municipal sector-wide conference, to share and identify common challenges, joint priorities and good practices.

PSI calls for an inclusive new urban agenda at HIII

13 October 2016
HIII

An international delegation of PSI affiliates and staff will participate in Habitat III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development to take place in Quito, Ecuador, from 17 – 20 October 2016. The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development is an exceptional event that occurs every 20 years. Habitat II took place in Istanbul in 1996 and delivered at the time the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements. Habitat III is expected to deliver a new document, the New Urban Agenda.

Global local and regional government (LRG) sector workers' network meeting (Brussels)

16 September 2016
Municipal Services

PSI is pleased to convene the first PSI Global Local and Regional Government Workers’ Network Meeting that will be held on 19 September 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. This will be followed by the EPSU Local and Regional Government Standing Committee on 20 September 2016, enabling PSI affiliates from other regions to take part as observers. Both events will take place in Room B at the International Trade Union House (ITUH), 5, Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels, Belgium from 8:30 to 18:00.

PSI puts tax justice for local and urban communities into the public debate at Habitat III PrepCom3

06 August 2016
PSI and ICRICT side event on tax justice for local communities

Over 80 people participated in a side event organized by PSI in collaboration with the Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT) and with the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) of the University of Greenwich, UK, on the theme “Financing and investing in urban public services: the key to inclusive cities”.  The event was held on 26 July 2016 in Surabaya, Indonesia, within the framework of the Third Preparatory Committee (PrepCom3) of Habitat III (25-27 July 2016), where a delegation of PSI Municipal affiliates from the Asia-Pacific region headed by General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli took an active part.

PSI tells Habitat III: no inclusive cities without decent work, public services and tax justice!

05 August 2016
Trade Unions and Workers group and PSI delegation led by General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli at the PrepCom3 of Habitat III on 26 September 2015 in Surabaya, Indonesia

A delegation of PSI Municipal affiliates from the Asia-Pacific region headed by General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli took part in the Third Preparatory Committee (PrepCom3) of Habitat III held on 25-27 July 2016 in Surabaya, Indonesia. This work is part of PSI’s continued advocacy within the Habitat III process – the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development - that will issue the ‘New Urban Agenda’, the official UN guidance on urban policies for the next 20 years. Habitat IV will take place in 2036.

PrepCom3 on Habitat III

20 July 2016
PSI side event at PrepCom3

On 26 July, during the third session of the Preparatory Committee of the Habitat III Conference, PSI is organising with ICRICT and PSIRU a side event called “Financing and investing in urban public services: The key to inclusive cities”. PrepCom3 will be held in Surabaya, Indonesia, from 25-27 July at the Convention and Exhibition Hall Grand City Convex Surabaya.

Defending public services together!

21 June 2016

On the occasion of UN Public Service Day, on the 23rd of June, Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary, says "we need to ensure multinationals pay their fair share of tax and that governments use this revenue to drive public sector growth through investment in universal, quality public services".

The road to Quito: workers and decent employment must be at the heart of the New Global Agenda!

06 June 2016
H III

The countdown for Habitat III - the UN conference that is expected to set out the new guidelines for urban policies - has begun. The ‘United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development ’ – as it is officially called - will take place in Quito, Ecuador, 17 – 20 October 2016.

Suez in trouble in Barcelona?

19 March 2016

The Superior Court of Catalonia decided to invalidate the corporate manipulations used by Aguas de Barcelona to retain its monopoly concession for managing the water and sanitation services in the Metropolitan area of Barcelona.

PSI-Japan Council lobbies to promote women’s empowerment

15 March 2016

Ten people (seven women and three men) representing the All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union, the Japan Public Sector Union and All Japan Water Supply Workers Union participated in the lobbying activity. The move was part of the Women’s Committee’s activities relating to the 8th of March.

In India, 10,000 unionists from TGOU participated in one-day hunger strike

15 February 2016
hunger strike in India

Workers from PSI affiliate Tamilnadu Government Officials Union (TGOU) put together a list of 35 demands to the government; the hunger strike took place in Chennai on the 8th of February.

Achieving pay equity in Peru’s public water industry

02 November 2015

Over the last two years, PSI has implemented a pilot project of gender neutral job evaluation and the construction of a map of health security risks in EPSEL, the public water enterprise of Lambayeque in the city of Chiclayo in the north of Peru.

Public services and their trade unions central to fostering inclusive, thriving local economic development

15 October 2015

On 14 October 2015, PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli joined UCLG, ILO, UNDP, Caritas, Slowfood, and several local government and municipalities representatives in the opening panel of the 3rd Local Development Forum (LED) in Turin (Italy).

PSI Portuguese affiliate wins full decentralized collective bargaining rights for municipal workers

13 October 2015

On 7 October 2015, the Portuguese Constitutional Court ruled the unconstitutionality of Portugal’s central government interference in the collective bargaining process between local government employers and trade unions and has ordered the public disclosure of the over 600 collective agreements negotiated at a municipal level over many years, which will now be accessible to all local government employees of Portugal.