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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.

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).