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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.

South Korean government responds to workers’ demands for justice for young worker Kim Yong-gyun

04 February 2019

The South Korean government has announced today a series of measures in response to the tragic death of 24-year-old power plant worker, killed in an industrial accident resulting from the “outsourcing of danger” and lack of safety measures at Taean Power Plant.

KPTU wins termination of contract for Seoul metro Line 9

30 January 2019

Halfway through a 10-year deal, South Korea’s capital local government decides to put an end to its contract with French private operators RATP Dev and Transdev after negotiations over renewed contract conditions failed. The announcement, on 18 January, came shortly after members of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU), a PSI and ITF affiliate, made public their intention to go on strike.

Japan Enacts a Revised Water Supply Act to all for-profit PPPs

14 December 2018

Despite the mounting evidence of the problems of public-private partnerships (PPPs), private concessions, or other forms of turning public water utilities into profit machines for private corporations, the pro-market national government of Japan snuck in a legislative provision to do just that. PSI supports Jichiro, Zensuido and allies opposing water privatisation bill in Japan.

Cleaners in public buildings in Geneva want to return to the public sector

11 December 2018

Several years ago, the Geneva office in charge of public buildings in the Canton took the decision to contract out the cleaning work in the buildings to private companies. This has resulted in a huge loss for the workers, and they are campaigning for the cleaning to return to the public sector.

Union strategies to bring public services back in-house

04 December 2018

PSI Global Labour Remunicipalisation workshop is taking place at the ILO in Geneva from 4-5 December. Trade union affiliates from around the world are showcasing local experiences of remunicipalisation and giving union strategies to bring public services back in-house.

PSI Global Labour Remunicipalisation Workshop (Geneva)

30 November 2018

This workshop on “Building union strategies to bring public services back in-house” is open to PSI trade union representatives with a direct experience of remunicipalising public services and/or with an interest in peer learning about these processes with a view to engage and drive remunicipalisation processes in the future.

ILO study reveals bankruptcy of pensions privatisation

07 November 2018
Photo: PSI/Shutterstock.com

A new publication by the ILO confirms PSI’s long-held position: the privatisation of public pension systems has delivered vast returns to a tiny financial elite while diminishing the incomes of workers in retirement.

Water and Sanitation are Human Rights, NOW!

21 March 2016
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On 22 March, PSI celebrated World Water Day. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 requires that governments ensure universal access to water and sanitation by 2030. However, we are seeing a new push for public-private partnerships (PPPs). We know that PPPs fail to deliver social and environmental targets, and PSI will help affiliates block this approach. We call for a rights-based approach, with public finance and management in the interests of all.

India: Coalition unites to block PPP water privatization schemes

25 January 2016

According to Corporate Accountability International, groups plan a series of escalating events to expose the truth about Nagpur’s failed PPP water privatization scheme promoted by the Modi government and World Bank. A group of trade unions in India is addressing a global petition to the World Bank.

Sign the petition against water privatisation in India

23 December 2015

A group of trade unions in India is addressing a petition to the World Bank, calling on them to end their promotion and financial support of all forms of water privatisation and acknowledge the failures behind it.

Support PCS strike at London's National Gallery

21 August 2015

Staff at London's National Gallery, organised by PSI affiliate the Public and commercial services union (PCS), have been on strike since February 2015 following the Gallery's decision to privatise almost all staff, including those who look after the paintings and help the gallery's six million annual visitors.

The support for energy privatisation in Nigeria is not acceptable

23 July 2015
Nigeria stop privatisation

Millions of pounds of UK aid money has been used to support the privatisation of Nigeria’s electricity system. The result has been a disaster with escalating energy prices, job losses and declining quality of services. PSI has joined Global Justice Now and UNISON in their campaign to stop this privatisation.

Racism? Not for us!

22 March 2014

Speak out and take a stand against racism and xenophobia! On the eve of the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21 March 2014, Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of the global union federation Public Services International affirms that “our commitment to fight racism and all forms of discrimination is guided by respect for human rights and basic union principles: social justice, equality, collective action and collective responsibility”.

Peru water privatisation - stop robbing workers and citizens of their rights

16 March 2014
Water

The global union federation Public Services International and our affiliate unions in Peru call on supporters around the world to send a strong message to the Peruvian government: ‘Don’t sell off Peru’s public water and sanitation services for private profit!’

Privatisation of Migration & Refugee Services & Other Forms of State Disengagement

11 December 2017

This research, written by Jane Lethbridge, Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), examines the effects of the privatisation of services for refugees and migrants at national and international level.

Double standards: How the UK promotes rip-off health PPPs abroad

02 October 2017

The Jubilee Debt Campaign has released a new report: ‘Double standards: How the UK promotes rip-off health PPPs abroad’ (24 pages, with a 4 page executive summary). PSI and its affiliates has substantially contributed to the content of the report.

Unpacking the Public Private Partnership Revival

27 July 2017

This paper, published in the March edition of The Journal of Development Studies, was written by Kate Bayliss and Elisa Van Waeyenberge. It examines the recent resurgence of interest in public-private partnerships (PPPs) to provide infrastructure in developing countries.

Decent work requires decent public policies

12 July 2017

Extract from the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017" -the new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

The new generation of PPPs in infrastructure – meeting the needs of institutional investors

10 July 2017

Extract from the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017" -the new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

Spotlight Report: "Reclaiming Policies for the Public"

07 July 2017

Report by the Civil Society Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Reclaiming Public Services: How cities and citizens are turning back privatisation

26 June 2017

Reclaiming Public Services is vital reading for anyone interested in the future of local, democratic services like energy, water and health care. This is an in-depth world tour of new initiatives in public ownership and the variety of approaches to deprivatisation.

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.

Africa Non-Academic, Academic and Research Workers Educational Network meeting (Kenya)

04 May 2018

The Africa Non-Academic, Academic and Research Workers Educational Network (ANARWEN) meeting is being held at the Meridian hotel in Nairobi (Kenya) on 4-5 May 2018. The meeting aims at fostering and building solidarity towards enhancing trade union rights, fighting PPPs in the education sector and providing a platform for sharing best practices, including challenges facing the education sector in this region.

Workshop on Public-Private Partnerships versus public sector solutions (Nigeria)

03 April 2018

This workshop on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) versus public sector solutions will be held in Lagos, Nigeria from 3-4 April. It will cover issues such as PSI’s campaign against the privatization of public services, the 2030 Agenda and current global policy issues.

Trading Privatisation : Time to Fight Back!

28 July 2017

Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are driving privatisation on a global scale. They pose a very real threat to public sector services and may even prevent attempts to re-nationalise when privatisation fails.

Conversation with authors of the Civil Society Report "Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017"

17 July 2017

Authors of the recently launched Spotlight Report will present key findings and recommendations to participants for discussion. The 2017 edition focuses on privatization, partnerships, corporate capture and the impact they have on sustainability and inequality.

Video: Stop water privatisation in Nagpur

15 December 2014

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation Employees Union is running a major campaign against the privatisation of water in the City of Nagpur as explained by Brother Jammu Anand, President of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation Employees Union, in a video.

Video: The fightback against austerity

07 July 2014

Public Services International (PSI), the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), together with our affiliate unions, ADEDY, and allies in Greece brought together a team of expert union journalists and communicators. This solidarity exchange enabled PSI communicators from other countries to learn more about the issues facing Greek trade unionists and share this understanding with their union members and communities around the world.

Video: Something's up with the water

04 March 2014

New advertising campaign taps into public support to keep water as a public good