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Privatisation

Quality public services are the foundation of democratic societies and successful economies. They ensure that everyone has equal access to vital services, including as health care, education, electricity, clean water and sanitation. When these services are privatised, maximizing corporate profits replaces the public interest as the driving force. Privatisation is a dangerous trend that must be reversed.

UK aid funds energy privatisation in Nigeria

17 March 2015

New research released today by campaign group Global Justice Now shows that since 2002, £140 million of UK aid money has been spent by the Department for International Development (DfID) on projects to support the privatisation of Nigeria’s energy system, with disastrous consequences for people in Nigeria.

Press release: Why Public-Private Partnerships don't work

16 March 2015
Worker

The report “Why Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) don’t work” by Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) assesses the PPPs experience in countries both rich and poor.

Public services are essential for economic growth

12 February 2015
GUF meeting with IMF

Economic models that promote labour flexibility and privatisation are destined to fail. This was PSI’s main message to the high-level meetings between the Global Union Federations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, on 11 February in Washington.

São Paulo to run out of water within two months

06 February 2015
Cantareira. Photo: Mídia NINJA - Creative Commons

If the most realistic predictions prove to be accurate, around 6 million people out of São Paulo's 20 million residents will face drastic water rationing this coming April. For five days out of seven they will have no water at all coming out of their taps.

The eve of de-privatization of water services in Jakarta

19 January 2015
Jakarta water privatisation

PSI, Transnational Institute, Amrta Institute for Water Literacy and Jakarta Water Trade Union have published a series of four fact-sheets that outline how and why water privatisation failed and the potential for a renewed effective public service.

Outcomes of PSI Steering Comittee SC-18

17 November 2014

PSI Steering Committee (SC-18) met in Geneva on 12-13 November 2014.

The agenda covered all items relating to the implementation of the Programme of Action with a special focus on the global campaigns PSI is leading on trade agreements and tax justice.

Water remunicipalisation as a global trend

13 November 2014
water fountain

Over the last 15 years, more than 180 cities and communities in 35 countries have taken back control of their water services, new study reveals.

Italy's public service workers protest against frozen wages and job insecurity

08 November 2014

“Pubblico sei tu, sblocchiamo il futuro!” The public is you, unlock the future! Under this slogan Italian public service workers have marched for contract renewal and pay rise.

South Korean workers fight for the right to retire in dignity

01 November 2014

Over 120,000 South Korean workers took to the streets of Seoul, on Saturday, in a mass rally against the government's plan to reform pension schemes.

Water in Uruguay: new challenges

21 October 2014
Mesa redonda

Overall, a positive assessment, but “there are many challenges ahead”. This was the conclusion reached by the panel of speakers at a round-table discussion entitled “Ten years After Constitutional Reform in Defence of Water”, organised by the National Commission in Defence of Water and Life (CNDAV) on 9 October, at the offices of the union centre, PIT-CNT.

PSI stands with British workers' demands for a pay rise

18 October 2014

Under the slogan "Britain Needs a Pay Rise", tens of thousands of people took to the streets in the UK on Saturday 18th October calling for pay increases for public sector workers after years of wage freezes and salary caps. Rallies took place in London, Glasgow and Belfast, with nurses, civil servants and teachers marching alongside other public and private sector workers, families, pensioners and activists.

PSI participates in ILO meeting in Peru

15 October 2014
Part of PSI delegation members

PSI has just taken part, with a delegation of 48 members, in the 18th American Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO) held in the capital of Peru, Lima, from 13-16 October.

Uruguay celebrates ten years of constitutional reform in defence of water

10 October 2014
Por el agua

On 9 October, the people of Uruguay celebrated the tenth anniversary of the victorious referendum in defence of water that forced a change to the constitution. Amendments to the constitution recognised water as a basic human right and made it impossible to privatise water resources and services.

Putting water back into public hands

18 September 2014
Remunicipalisation

A new major trend has emerged as more and more communities insist on returning water and wastewater services to public management through remunicipalisation. The Water Remunicipalisation Tracker website continues to expand with four new cases of remunicipalisation.

Answering the challenge of water supply in Jakarta

08 September 2014
Water symposium Jakarta

The national symposium entitled “Answering the challenge of water supply in Jakarta” was held on 4 September 2014 in Al Azhar University in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event was organised by the student executive body of the Law Faculty of Al Azhar University and was attended by 147 participants including students from six universities in Jakarta.