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Trade union development

Free and democratic trade unions are built on solidarity – people working together for improvements in the workplace and the community. Through PSI, unions around the world work together to support each other. Established unions share their knowledge and experience with unions that have fewer resources. This assistance ranges from help with developing tools to serve members, to resource and education materials, to international support in upholding members’ rights.

Recruitment and retractable syringes: SOLISCO-DRC rebuilds for its members and saves lives

25 February 2013
SOLISCO members, Kinshasa

The use of ordinary syringes carries inherent life-threatening risks of needle-stick injuries for health professionals, including exposure to hepatitis, HIV, and even Ebola. Building upon the strength of previous project successes, the IMPACT/PSI project “Sensitising and training nurses in the use of retractable syringes” which took place between 2010 and 2011 raised awareness, trained nurses and improved their OHS by introducing retractable syringes into the Democratic Republic of Congo’s health system. During the project, the union went from strength to strength with membership rising by 30% in three years.

Unions in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa work for a new era of social dialogue on migration and health care systems

20 February 2013
Mobilisation for the launch of the South Africa "Migrant Desk" in Johannesburg, November 2012

As part of PSI’s Global Migration Programme, the IMPACT/PSI project ‘Women and International migration in the health sector’ has seeked to build Ghanaian, Kenyan and South African health and social care unions’ capacity to address members’ specific migration-related needs.

Unity of action drives social dialogue forwards in the Andes

16 February 2013
PSI affiliates in Lima, Peru mobilising on World Public Services Day, 23 June 2011

A Network of Andean Public Administration Unions was created thanks to a PSI /IMPACT-sponsored project which ran from 2008 to 2011 in the Andean region. The project led to a comparative study on national legislations and labour practices and helped to create successful joint trade union actions. In a region where human and trade union rights are constantly violated, encouraging progress was made to drive social dialogue forward and to create genuine dialogue for the transformation of public services.

Making use of the ‘new animal from the forest’: East African unions strengthen social dialogue mechanisms

15 February 2013
Trade union leaders from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar discuss energy policy and public sector restructuring in the East African Community

In order to shape the direction of public sector reform, PSI’s affiliates in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar and Uganda have been building their lobbying and advocacy skills and successfully pushing for the creation of new public sector negotiating machineries.

From doubt to dedication: Young Czech and Slovakian trade unionists get active

14 February 2013
Participants at the young workers seminar in Blansko-Češkovice, April 2009, Czech Republic

Six two-day seminars for 30 young rank and file trade unionists were organised between 2009 and 2011 as part of the PSI /IMPACT –sponsored project “Motivating young workers membership”. Originally intended as a bilateral project between IMPACT and the Czech Health Service and Social Care trade union (OS ZSP), the success of the first few seminars led the project organisers to also reach out to Slovakian and other Czech affiliates.

PSI affiliates in Turkey intensify campaigns against precarious work

10 February 2013
May Day, Istanbul, 2010

Building the capacity of public service unions in Turkey to confront the negative effects of precarious work, especially on women and young workers, was facilitated through project cooperation. The project "Public sector restructuring and decent work" took place between 2010 and 2012.

Rosa Pavanelli elected to lead Public Services International

28 November 2012

Italian trade unionist Rosa Pavanelli has been elected as the new leader of the global union federation Public Services International, representing 20 million public service workers in 150 countries. Pavanelli says her vision is founded on “giving PSI new energy, and standing up for justice, solidarity, equality, a fairer and more sustainable world.”

The leadership vote took place during PSI’s 29th World Congress in Durban, South Africa (27-30 November 2012). Danish trade unionist Peter Waldorff had sought re-election as general secretary following one term in office.