Inter-Americas

Latest issue of #PrivatizationWatch (07/2017) - The Global newsletter on privatization of public services around the world.

The heavy flooding last week in Texas and in parts of India, Bangladesh and Nepal is causing significant loss of life and livelihood and major damage to communities. PSI joins all in sending condolences to those affected, and expresses concern about the growing frequency and intensity of such storms and the capacity of public emergency services to cope.

Three years ago, the PSI Women’s Committee in Chile decided to support this struggle with a range of actions, including lobbying parliament, visits to the national congress, alliances with women’s organisations and raising the profile of this issue in the street and in the press.

One of the highlights of the World Public Service Day, commemorated on 23 June, was the rally held in the centre of the city of São Paulo and organised by the National Confederation of Social Security Workers affiliated to the trade union centre CUT and by the São Paulo State Union of Public Sector Health Workers.

In Quebec, there is no end to reforms in the health and social services sector, which have an adverse psychological impact on the workforce. For more than 20 years, health workers have had to constantly adapt to new standards, guidelines and structures, as determined by different governments.

“What do we want? Healthcare. When do we want it? Now!” These and other chants of protesters echoed off the white marble-clad U.S. Capitol during a recent protest led by Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

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.

PSI's affiliate, which has been on the front lines of civil rights and racial justice struggles for decades, has condemned the hateful acts displayed at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, August 12.

This year, the day is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace. The current generation of youth is the largest in history and young people often comprise the majority in countries marked by armed conflict or unrest.

On 27-28 July 2017, PSI held the first Latin America waste sector workers' meeting in Bogota, Colombia.