Belgium

Local and regional governments (LRG)/municipal sector workers run essential services in cities, metropolitan areas and territories servicing millions of people and communities every day. Our members work in public administrations; public utilities such as water and sanitation, electricity, and solid waste. They operate public transport and maintain public spaces; work in social, culture and education services such as libraries, museums, kindergartens, schools and universities. They are health and social services workers. Firefighters, emergency, medical first responders and municipal police are also among LRG/municipal workers. PSI defends and promotes the union and labour rights of LRG/municipal workers and advocates their decent working and living conditions so that they can sustainably deliver accessible, quality public services to the local communities and territories they serve and successfully confront the many challenges posed by rapid urbanization and globalization. Join the discussion on PSI's LRG/Municipal Workers Facebook Group.

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.

Young people must have the opportunity for decent jobs. Research consistently shows that young men and women are often marginalised. They must overcome more barriers than adults to secure decent employment. Worldwide, young people are three and a half times more likely to be unemployed. Steps must be taken to ensure that young people have access to education, training, and economic opportunities.

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.
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All work has dignity, and all workers deserve to be treated with respect by their employers. Trade unions play a decisive role in improving working conditions, safety and wages – yet some governments and employers systematically abuse the right of workers to join existing unions or form new ones. PSI works actively to support the right of workers to free collective bargaining, and to help stop abuses when they occur.

Free and democratic trade unions are built on solidarity – people working together for improvements in the workplace and the community. Through PSI, unions around the world work together to support each other. Established unions share their knowledge and experience with unions that have fewer resources. This assistance ranges from help with developing tools to serve members, to resource and education materials, to international support in upholding members’ rights.