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Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)

International trade agreements such as the TPP are currently being fast-tracked and negotiated in secrecy. These agreements undermine local and national government decision-making power and increase corporate access to public services resulting in the privatization of critical public services. PSI is working with global union federations, affiliated unions, and civil society allies who oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) being negotiated in the Asia Pacific Region.

Free trade or women's rights?

12 January 2018

After 30 years of neoliberal globalization, it has been increasingly acknowledged that austerity, privatization, deregulation of finance, markets and corporations, and trade and investment liberalization have had a devastating and discriminatory impact on women and have driven inequality. Recent large multilateral agreements, designed primarily to enable the unhindered flow of global capital, are significant barriers to the realization of the human rights of women.

Trump and NAFTA “modernization”

16 August 2017

The ensuing trade deficits and manufacturing job losses cast a shadow over this trade deal and led all three major candidates for the U.S. presidency in 2016 to reject the TPP and promise to “fix” NAFTA. Trump is following through on his promise, but that is not the whole story.

Affiliates of PSI Interamerica strengthen the struggle for public health and against precarious employment in the sector

18 November 2016

Regional Meeting of Public Services International (PSI) Interamerica's Health Sector took place on 8 and 9 November in São Paulo, Brazil. The meeting was considered as part of the reconstruction of the health policy of PSI at a global level.

Rosa Pavanelli speaks to over 3000 delegates at the ‪Teamsters 2016‬ conference

29 June 2016
Rosa Pavanelli

PSI's General Secretary was invited to speak on the need to fight bad trade agreements - like TPP, TTIP, TiSA and CETA - at the 29th Teamsters International Convention.

Bad Investments: Trading Away the Right to Energy Democracy

04 June 2016

The recent release by Wikileaks of documents relating to the "Trade in Services Agreement" (TiSA) - currently being negotiated in secret in Geneva - has brought a new round of scrutiny not only to the TiSA, but also to the sweeping effort to re-write international trade and investment rules of which it constitutes just a part.

Why TPP is a bad deal for America and American workers

28 April 2016
STOP the TPP

From the rhetoric of proponents of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a sweeping trade and investment pact between the U.S. and 11 Asia-Pacific countries, it would be easy to conclude that the agreement is an economic panacea for the shrinking middle class and stagnant wages faced by most workers in America. The reality is more sobering: There are good economic reasons to believe that TPP will not only fail to provide the promised benefits but actually make things worse.

Campaign against TPPA and TISA approved in PSI's regional meeting in Chile

13 April 2016

Representatives of unions affiliated to PSI agreed to make mobilization efforts, partnerships with civil society, lobbying parliaments and campaign material that allows raising public awareness through simple language to explain the negative impact of this type of treaty.

Race to sign TPPA highlights growing public anger

01 February 2016

Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) advocates are racing to have the deal signed in New Zealand on February 4th, before growing public opposition makes the agreement a political liability. PSI urges affiliates to join the world-wide protests against the signing and let politicians know that they do not want to have a hand in ratifying this dirty deal.

Open letter: Nurses, Midwives and Healthcare workers speak out against aspects of the TPP

24 June 2015
Photo: Nurses - Creative Commons - Australian DFAT

In an open letter to trade ministers, prime ministers and presidents of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries, nurses, midwives and healthcare workers speak out for the sake of their communities’ health against aspects of the TPP.

Trans Pacific Partnership is bad news for workers – call to action

25 February 2014
No TPP

Many unions and civil society groups fighting the Trans Pacific Partnership and the Fast Track process of this terrible free trade deal have been frustrated by the lack of mainstream media coverage, especially in America. The media's conspiracy of silence makes it hard to mobilize our members against the TPP and Fast Track because they aren't hearing anything about it.

Emergency resolution in response to the release of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement text

19 November 2015

In response to the release of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) text the 19th PSI Steering Committee meeting that met in Geneva, Switzerland on 17-18 November adopted the following resolution.

Negotiating Healthy Trade in Australia

03 March 2015

This report published by the Centre for Health Equity Training Research and Evaluation provides an overview of the dimensions of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) relevant to health, the process and findings of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) - including characterising the potential health impacts based on the literature and stakeholder input - and recommendations to the Australian Government to avoid or mitigate potential harms from the TPP. The authors intend for the HIA to inform negotiations and health sector advocacy on the TPP.

How investor-to-state dispute settlement threatens public welfare and undermines democracy

12 September 2014

Many international trade and investment agreements give individuals and corporations who invest in other countries access to a special legal procedure that can challenge domestic policy decisions in private tribunals. Investors—meaning anyone who buys property in a foreign country, from a hectare of land to stocks and bonds—can use “investor-to-state dispute settlement” (ISDS) to sue governments over laws, regulations and even domestic court decisions that affect current or future profits. You can think of ISDS as establishing special “corporate courts” that have their own rules and that a country’s own citizens cannot use.

Public health care vs. the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement

04 February 2014
Public health care vs the TPP agreement

A PSI - North America strategic briefing

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations are set to erect the largest, most comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) in the world today. The negotiations include 12 nation states of the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam - with South Korea still considering its incorporation.

Presentation: The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and health

17 October 2013

A New Zealand perspective

Trade presentation given by Marilyn Head, New Zealand Nurses Organisation, at the PSI Asia Pacific Quality Public Services Forum in Bangkok, Thailand - October 2013

Trade and Investment Liberalisation: Impact on Indian Workers (Bengaluru)

05 April 2018

This workshop, held in Bengaluru (India) from 17-18 April, aims at discussing the impact of trade policy as well as specific agreements on key sectors in manufacturing and services from the perspective of the workers engaged in these sectors. Through sharing of experience and knowledge we aim to understand the full impacts of trade and investment policies and identify strategies to tackle the challenges they pose. The workshop is organised by PSI, the Forum against Free Trade Agreements, Third World Network and the Transnational Institute.

PSI Global Trade Summit

16 September 2014

Public Services International (PSI), affiliate leaders and partners will convene in Washington, D.C., in September 2014 to discuss the new threats posed to workers, public services, democracy and our communities by trade and investment agreements.

Audio: RadioLabour report on the Global Trade Summit

19 September 2014

Public services unions worldwide are determined to open to public scrutiny a new wave of global trade agreements, which are now being discussed behind closed doors. Listen to the RadioLabour report on PSI's Global Trade Summit.

Video: The history and geopolitics of trade in services

18 September 2014

Listen to Robert Stumberg, Professor of Law and Director Harrison Institute for Public Law/Georgetown Law, on how 30 years of liberalization and the new wave of trade agreements limit the role of government and deepen corporate power.

Video: Union leaders open new trade agreements to public debate

18 September 2014

Union leaders from around the world convened in Washington DC, 15-17 September 2014, to discuss the new threats posed to workers, public services, democracy and our communities by trade and investment agreements.

Audio: Globe Trade Agreements for Corporations

04 September 2014

RadioLabour has prepared a special report on the global trade agreements: What they are and how they will affect working people.

Video: Hands off our medecines

09 April 2014

Watch what Medicine Sans Frontier has to say about the TPP