Privatisation

A large group of Greek, European and international organisations, networks and others have requested the bidders for the Thessaloniki Water and Sewage Company to withdraw their bids. They want the bidders to respect the wishes of the workers and local communities who do not want their company to be run by private operators.
All of the companies that are bidding have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies that claim to respect and work with the local communities. If the local communities do not want the companies, then these should not push ahead and prefer profits over local demands.

The outsourcing of social services is not working in practice as it should according to the theory. Many municipalities are taking back the once outsourced services. It is not sure either whether buying services from private providers will save money for the municipalities at all.

Public Services International joins with PSI’s European representative, the European Federation of Public Service Unions, in welcoming the decision of European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services to listen to the voices of people concerned about further commercialisation and commodification of public water services.

Following actions from PSI affiliate SITRANDE (Sindicato de Trabajadores de la ANDE), including demonstrations in Asuncion uniting workers from all over the country, and strong support from PSI, the parliament of Paraguay decided to postpone on Tuesday 18 June any decision on the regulatory system of electricity.

PSI joined the struggle to stop the US-backed Public-Private Partnership (P3) law in El Salvador.

CUPE members from across Newfoundland and Labrador headed home on 8 May as their annual convention wrapped in Grand Falls-Windsor, but not before raising almost $11,000 for a sister union in Central America.