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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.

TiSA: Trade in Services Agreement is Bad News for Workers and Communities

14 November 2016

As trade negotiators representing 50 countries meet behind closed doors to try and finalise the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) before the end of the year, the ITUC has released a new analysis of leaked information about the deal "All about TiSA: Everything you didn't know about the Trade in Services Agreement".

CETA steamrolls on but unions & civil society will continue the fight

27 October 2016

Under immense pressure from the EU and corporate lobby groups, the Belgian region of Wallonia has given in to the CETA deal.

No means no! Civil society and unions stand with Wallonia in rejecting CETA

24 October 2016

The Belgian region of Wallonia is standing strong against attempts by the EU and Canada to push through the signing of the CETA deal, despite mass mobilization and strong public opposition to the regressive trade pact.

Public sector unions to oppose Asia Pacific mega trade deal RCEP

20 October 2016

On 12 October, the closing day of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference (APRECON) in Fukuoka, around 250 delegates representing more than 70 PSI affiliates from 18 countries resolved to intensify the struggle against the ambitious Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) under negotiation among 16 countries in the region.

Belgian region of Wallonia blocks EU-Canada trade deal

15 October 2016

PSI commends the President of the Walloon Government's decision not to give full powers to the Belgian federal governement to sign the CETA trade agreement between the EU and Canada on 18th October 2016.

Leaked EU TiSA demands reveal “do as we say, not as we do” doctrine

14 October 2016

Today’s release of the EU’s demands of developing countries in the TISA negotiations highlights the double standards within the EU, says Public Services International. While the European Commission tries to convince the European public that its approach to trade agreements safeguards European public services it simultaneously demands that developing countries public services are undermined.

Canada must not ratify ‘fundamentally flawed’ European trade pact

19 September 2016
Photo: Friends of the Earth

In solidarity with mass demonstrations taking place in Europe, the undersigned Canadian trade unions, wish to echo the recent message of the 3.3 million member-strong Canadian Labour Congress that there are many questionable aspects to the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. We are therefore calling on our Federal Liberal government not to ratify the CETA.

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

Presentation: Is fracking a trade question?

16 October 2013

Presentation by Geert Decock, Policy Officer, Food & Water Europe. This document was presented at the PSI workship on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), held during the WTO Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 October 2013.

Presentation: Public Services and Trade Rules: Preserving Policy Space for Innovation

16 October 2013

Presentation by Scott Sinclair, Senior Research Fellow, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives This document was presented at the PSI workship on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), held during the WTO Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 October 2013.

Presentation: How do trade agreements alter education quality?

16 October 2013

Presentation by Antoni Verger, Globalisation, Education and Socil Policies (GEPS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (on behalf of Education International). This document was presented at the PSI workship on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), held during the WTO Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 October 2013.

First BRICS Cycle of debates

04 September 2013

Statement from the trade union organizations of public sector workers affiliated to Public Services International (PSI), from Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa – BRICS.

PSI brief on Trade in Services Agreement (TISA)

02 August 2013

This briefing note, written in July 2013, explains the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA).

PSI policy on International Trade Agreements

31 May 2013

PSI’s Executive Board (EB–145) endorsed in May 2013 a proposal to increase PSI’s work on trade agreements. This work will focus on the most prominent threats to our affiliates, including ensuring that trade agreements are not used to open public services to private commercial activities but are used to contribute to the application of international labour standards to protect workers’ rights.