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No Trade in Public Services

The recent wave of trade agreements are direct threats to the provision of Quality Public Services. These new agreements encourage privatisation, restrict governments’ ability to regulate in the public interest and create new and powerful rights for large multinational corporations. They are also a threat to democracy and accountability of government. They are being negotiated in secret, without proper consultation and will bind future governments, often regardless of the decisions of national elections, parliaments and courts. PSI urges all affiliates to understand the implications and join our allies to oppose the harmful effects of these agreements.

Trade unions and social organizations say 'Chile better without TPPA'

10 February 2016
Members of different social organizations and unions protested on February 4 against the TPPA (Photo: Nayareth Quevedo)

Members from different social organizations and trade unions came out on February 4 to the streets to protest against the TPPA, signed at the same day in New Zealand by 12 countries, including Chile, Mexico, Peru, United States and Canada.

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.

National convention in India calls for defence of people's rights at WTO Nairobi ministerial

09 December 2015
Photo: Copyright Benny Kuruvilla

More than 200 people representing political parties, mass organisations, trade unions, peasant unions, women, student, youth and campaign organisations met at a National Convention in New Delhi, India, in defence of people’s rights at the upcoming WTO Ministerial.

The great climate change swindle

03 December 2015
Photo: Billy Wilson - Creative Commons

As Heads of State prepare to negotiate an international accord in Paris against global warming, their trade negotiators are meeting in Geneva to secretly forge a new free trade agreement that could expand fossil fuels’ exploitation and cause further climate change.

TISA is more dangerous than TTIP and CETA – yet largely unknown

20 November 2015
Jürgen Buxbaum

In an interview with Heike Langenberg from PSI’s German affiliate Ver.di on 20 May 2015, Jürgen Buxbaum from Public Services International (PSI) outlines the consequences of TISA for us all.

Switzerland’s largest city declares “Tisa-Free Zone”

06 November 2015
Zurich declared TISA-Free zone

The city of Zurich has voted to declare itself a TISA-free zone, in a move which emphasizes a growing resistance to the secret trade talks. A proposal introduced to the Zurich Communal Council by the Green Party was passed by a firm majority and could help to establish a precedent for other regions across Europe who may hope to do the same.

Bad news: Trans-Pacific Partnership deal reached

07 October 2015
Photo: Migraine medication - Creative Commons: Tanya

On 5 October, a group of trade ministers announced they reached an agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Despite the triumphant announcement, for PSI and its affiliates this agreement is bad news as long as the content remains secret.

Uruguay abandons TiSA

11 September 2015
Roberto Bissio

Just a week before the deadline for submitting national offers on liberalization of services sectors under the on-going “secret” talks for a “Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), Uruguay President Tabaré Vázquez decided on Monday, 7 September, to abandon the plurilateral negotiations and has directed the government to comply.

Uruguay abandons TISA negotiations! A victory for PSI affiliates

08 September 2015
President of uruguay

With a statement on the President’s website and following political debate on the issue, President Tabaré Vázques announced on 7 September that Uruguay will leave the TISA negotiations.

Unions oppose badly negotiated free trade agreement

03 August 2015

The Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU), in unity with many other Australian unions and associations, rallied in Sydney on 31 July 2015 opposing the Federal Government for signing the China - Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).

Reaction to the agreed Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development by PSI

24 July 2015
Opening

On 16 July, the Financing for Development Conference (FFD3) has come to an end by adopting the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on FFD. PSI joins the trade union movement and civil society partners in their rejection of the outcome, which will be neither transformative nor deliver the future we want.

What is the point of development if social progress is not made?

16 July 2015

The Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD3) held in Addis Ababa is taking place at a challenging time.The world economy is still struggling to recover fully from the global financial and economic crisis that erupted in 2008.

New TISA leaks confirm PSI concerns on deregulation and secrecy

30 June 2015
Photo: Padlock by Dmitriy - Creative Commons

PSI, 1 July 2015 – Yet another series of leaks confirm PSI’s repeated concerns on the restriction of governments’ right to regulate in the public interest as well as underlining the lack of transparency surrounding the Trade In Service Agreement (TISA) negotiations.

Nurses and healthcare workers speak out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

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

PSI, Geneva, 30 June - Nurses, midwives and healthcare workers from the across the Pacific, Latin America and North America condemn the controversial TPP trade deal.

Massive leak of TISA trade documents “highlights madness of secrecy”

02 June 2015
Photo: Alberto Ortiz - Creative Commons

The largest ever leak of negotiating documents from the controversial Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) highlights the madness of secrecy and provides no comfort for users of public services.