LRG/Municipal sector

Thousands of school staff, caterers, cleaners, nursery and care workers - members of PSI affiliates UNISON and GMB - will begin a 48-hour strike action on 23 October. The decision comes after a 12-year tribunal battle, and a repeated refusal by the city council to state its position after the highest court in Scotland ruled last year that the city’s pay system was discriminatory.

PSI and United Cities and Local Government (UCLG) have joined forces to improve labour data collection for their constituencies. On 15 October, they jointly called labour statisticians from around the world, gathered in Geneva for the 20^th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS), to take steps towards filling this major gap.

Earlier this year, the NGO Solar Head of State held a challenge targeting youth and young adults in which the goal was to inspire local or school communities to recognize the many advantages of solar energy. PSI affiliate the Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers (JALGO) was the only sponsor from the trade union movement and has contributed prize money to the challenge.

Multinational company demands exclusive rights over street cleaning, waste collection, transport and disposal at the landfill site in San Pedro Sula, the country’s second biggest city. Many trade union representatives among those dismissed.

PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, took the floor at the UN High Level Political Forum during the review of SDG 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable calling for strong public policies and governance for housing and the protection of public spaces and commons from privatization and gentrification.