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Water and sanitation

Clean water and sanitation – recently recognised by the United Nations as basic human rights – are critical to good health. They help prevent disease. Yet billions of people have no ready access to safe water. It is an essential service that governments must provide to protect their citizens and serve their common good. Read more here

India: Privatisation of water in Delhi

30 October 2012

Delhi has decided to privatize its water distribution network, but opposition is growing. Privatization is unconstitutional and a failed venture, says former chief justice of the High Court.

Canada-EU trade talks on water privatisation and Internet restrictions

25 October 2012
Canadian maple leaf surrounded by EU stars

The Trade Justice Network and Réseau québécois sur l'intégration continentale (RQIC) co-hosted a media teleconference on parts of the Canada-EU trade deal that have become very controversial in Europe.

Citizen struggles in energy and water can beat back privatisation

19 October 2012

Social movements have been successful in beating back the tide of water privatization. With global temperatures rising, unions in the energy sector can learn from these struggles.

Sign the European Citizens’ Initiative on the Human Right to Water

18 October 2012

The Water is a Human Right campaign aims to collect 1 million signatures in support of "Water is a public good, not a commodity".

EU Commission forces crisis-hit countries to privatise water

17 October 2012
shower at sunset

The European Commission is deliberately promoting privatization of water services as one of the conditions being imposed as part of bailouts, it acknowledges in a letter to civil society groups.

Water companies and trends in Europe

24 September 2012

This publication is part of a series in which EPSU explores the activities of the private sector in key public services. The series offers an overview of multinational company developments and assist trade unions in considering which companies qualify for a European Works Council.

Actions and events against austerity all over Europe

21 September 2012

Major protests against austerity measures are taking place in many European countries.We give you the list of upcoming events:

UK: Public sector pensioners to lose billions

15 August 2012
Workers on railway line

Public sector workers will lose more than £8.5 billion a year through cuts to their pensions. - A massive transfer of wealth away from public servants, says trade union leaders.

Remunicipalisation: A new trend in Europe

13 August 2012
Men working in the street

Privatisation, contracting out and outsourcing have been the dominant trends in public services. Now there is increasing evidence of trends in the opposite direction, according to a report from EPSU.

Nigeria: Privatisation forced at gunpoint

07 August 2012
Man with microphone speaking

Nigeria is privatising the public power holding company, and employees were forced at gunpoint to listen to speeches from the Minister of Power and the Minister of Labour. "Is Nigeria still a military dictatorship?" asks PSI in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Tags: 
Energy
Privatisation
Quality public services
Trade union rights
Water and sanitation
Electricity
Gas

Water: A human right that remains a political mirage

06 August 2012
Women hauling water

More efforts and stronger commitment for water as a human right is needed, says "water justice activists".

Victory in Italy as court blocks privatisation

27 July 2012
Model of the earth with slogans in Italian

On 20th July, the Italian Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional Article 4 of the Decree Law 138 of August 13, 2011, by which, the Berlusconi government re-introduced the privatisation of local public services. At that time, the government had ignored the results of the referendum of 12 and 13 June 2011 in which Italians had rejected privatisation. The ruling also blocks all subsequent amendments, including those of the Monti government.

Delhi to privatise water supply, city to pay nine times more than Mumbai

09 July 2012
hands under a water tap against a blue sky

On 3 July Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit confirmed that the state government has decided to privatise water treatment plants in the national capital, following its earlier privatisation of power distribution. The Planning Commission has given its approval to the proposal.

Spain: Action day against cuts in public sector

27 June 2012
Rally in Spain

Severe budget cuts are undermining and theatening our welfare state, says Spanish trade unions. Today, June 28., they call for action all over the country.

Pakistan: Demands of 140.000 workers accepted

27 June 2012
Men at power station Pakistan

No privatisation of power may be carried out by the Government of Pakistan. This is one of the demands from the Pakistani union of electricity workers that has now been accepted.