Privatisation

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, a PSI affiliate in Australia, has been campaigning since December 2013 against the O'Farrell government's decision to privatise disability care services. On 17 July, the union published a petition which asks that the state Government retains a role in the provision of services in the ageing, disability and home care sectors and protects staff.

A recent Asia Times article studies how the control of Jakarta water may change if Jakarta governor and presidential hopeful Joko Widodo wins the July 9 polls.

Remunicipalisation, or the taking back under public management of previously privatised public services, is a growing trend. Together with our allies, PSI is supporting information gathering and exchange, in order to assist campaigns and decision-making.

Private water companies Veolia and Suez, who controlled the Paris water supply from 1985 until its remunicipalisation in 2008, say "The Paris remunicipalisation decision has done a lot of damage to our profession." More and more cities are choosing to bring water back into public hands.

Korea health unions KHMU and KPTU-HealthSol held a strike from 24-30 June, and protest rallies on 27 and 28 June after the Korean government's announcement to allow for deregulation and privatisation of the health services in the country.

German newspaper "Handelsblatt" and magazine "Der Spiegel" report that according to the German Federal Control and Auditing Institution ‘Bundesrechnungshof’, motorway construction financed by public-private partnerships (PPPs) is significantly more expensive than public projects.

Water is a public good! It is essential for life. With these words the mayor of Montpellier, Mr. M. Saurel, announced that the Montpellier municipality would take back control over its water supply.