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Water and sanitation

Clean water and sanitation – recently recognised by the United Nations as basic human rights – are critical to good health. They help prevent disease. Yet billions of people have no ready access to safe water. It is an essential service that governments must provide to protect their citizens and serve their common good. Read more here

Marching for Quality Water: PSI Affiliates in Kenya march to promote water safety on World Water Day 2018

23 March 2018

Through the streets of Nairobi, over 300 trade unionists from PSI affiliates, dressed in matching shirts and carrying placards with messages concerning the protection of water, poured onto the streets to celebrate World Water Day.

The End of Water Privatisation?

22 March 2018

Across the world, a wave of remunicipalisations has delivered water services back into public hands, often after decades of private mismanagement.

The Alternative World Water Forum has begun!

20 March 2018

Academics, social movements, trade unions and civil society organisations are meeting in Brasilia until 22 March to discuss how to resist the commodification of water in the world.

Jakarta Closer to Regaining Public Control of Water

12 February 2018
Photo: Indah Budiarti

Jakarta vice-governor Sandiaga Uno met with an international delegation including PSI Deputy General Secretary David Boys, Satoko Kishimoto, researcher with the Transnational Institute and former deputy mayor of Paris and former head of Eau de Paris Anne Le Strat.

Lagos water Workshop: "claims that PPP is not privatization should not be believed”

08 February 2018

A heightening campaign among trade unions is pushing back against the Adiyan Phase II Water Scheme which constitutes a major threat on the security of water of Nigeria’s capital.

Third Short-video Competition of the WATERLAT-GOBACIT Network

26 January 2018

Participation is open to professionals and beginners, regardless of age, country or language, and the reception of videos will close on 31 May 2018. PSI is member of WATERLAT-GOBACIT, an inter- and transdisciplinary network for teaching, research and practical action on the politics and management of water and water-based services.

Turin city council votes to fully remunicipalize its water utility

22 December 2017

In early October 2017, the city council of Turin (Italy) voted to change the legal status of its local water provider - the “Turin Metropolitan Water Company (SMAT)” - from a publicly-owned joint stock company governed by private law to an inter-municipal enterprise governed by public law.

Indonesian Supreme Court Terminates Water Privatization!

21 October 2017

The Indonesian Supreme Court ordered termination of water privatization and restoration of public management to ensure human right to water. We stay vigilant for transparent and accountable transition.

Twenty young African trade unions leaders gathered in Abuja to discuss remunicipalisation

16 October 2017

Twenty young workers, representing 16 trade unions from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Nigeria, met in Abuja on 11-12 September to attend a workshop sponsored by IMPACT and Kommunal about the remunicipalisation of public services.

Delivering Safe Drinking Water for Syrian Refugees and Local Community in Lebanon

27 September 2017

“Because we had the war in Lebanon before and suffered, we feel in solidarity with Syrian refugees who are experiencing the same thing,” says Georges Moussa, Vice-President of the Water Workers Union of North Lebanon (Syndicat des employés de l'Office des Eaux du Liban Nord).

Open letter to UN-HABITAT

18 September 2017

Civil society organisations, trade unions, public water operators together with International Steering committee members of GWOPA jointly send the open letter to the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT concerning the recent attempt to undermine GWOPA's core purpose, origin and history.

Sign On Now: Letter to Lagos Governor - Don't privatize public water!

03 August 2017
Photo: Sani Baba

PSI along with Corporate Accountability International and other partners is circulating a letter in support of the Our Water Our Right coalition in Lagos - to show global support for their opposition to a NEW and IMMINENT privatization threat. PSI has been fighting water privatization in Lagos for several years.

World Bank plan to mobilize “trillions” will not help the poor

11 July 2017

Global Spotlight Report says that the proposed “cascade” of private financing for infrastructure will result in more corruption, high fees for essential services, and massive resource transfers to the rich from the poor.

Civil society groups reclaim policies for the public

07 July 2017

Launching on the opening day of the High Level Political Forum at the United Nations in New York this new global report assesses how privatization and corporate capture have become obstacles to progress under the 2030 Agenda.

UN Public Services Awards: Paris water win highlights benefits of remunicipalisation

23 June 2017

Seven years ago the City of Paris brought their water supply back into public hands. Today they received one of the highest international public service awards at a special UN ceremony at The Hague.

Troubled Waters: Misleading industry PR and the case for public water

15 December 2014

Emanuele Lobina of the PSI Research Unit (PSIRU) and author of a new report "Troubled Waters", commissioned by Corporate Accountability International, argues private water companies could spell disaster for the city's water system

COP20: The public option in green policies

09 December 2014
Windmills - Photo: Pablo LordFerguson (Creative Commons: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

As the UN Climate Change Summit, COP20, in Lima, Peru, draws to an end, PSI highlights the special role of local and national government structures in developing, implementing and monitoring green policies.

Here to stay: Water remunicipalisation as a global trend

01 December 2014
Here to stay

On 13 November 2014, the Transnational Institute (TNI), Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) and the Multinational Observatory released a new report called “Here to stay: Water remunicipalisation as a global trend”.

The work of the ants: Labour and community reinventing public water in Colombia

15 October 2014

Water services in Colombia’s rural and peri-urban areas have traditionally been delivered by a rich variety of autonomous community-owned aqueducts. This action-research project documents the struggles of one such community to preserve and reinforce its aqueduct as an alternative to both private and ‘state’ modes of service delivery.

India: Core labour standards not implemented in ADB funded projects

02 September 2014
India - Sewage treatment plant, Kavoor, Mangalore, India. Photo: ADB

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Handbook on Core Labour Standards 2005, committed to comply with the internationally recognized core labour standards (CLS) and related labour laws in the design, formulation and operation of its loans to the developing countries. However the workers in the projects have identified union busting, harassment or physical violence against unions and discrimination and dismissals and other work-related anti-union/worker actions etc. in the projects and the compliance according to the CLS handbook is not strictly observed.

Health and safety agreement between Global Unions and GDF-Suez (2014)

16 June 2014

Global Unions and GDF-Suez signed a global agreement on 14 May 2014 that will define and implement fundamental principles regarding health and safety at work within GDF SUEZ companies.

PSI statement on World Water Day, 22 March 2014

19 March 2014
Water - photo World Bank

As the United Nations celebrates World Water Day on 22 March 2014, we must be aware of and continue to challenge the fundamental tensions polarising people and planet. Social inequality is growing, climate change is accelerating, and governments are not taking leadership for democratic change. Many governments continue to ignore the most basic rights of people, including the Human Right to Water and Sanitation.

After Yolanda: Government employees are also human beings

11 March 2014

Four months after Typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda as it's known in the Phlippines, PSI affiliate in the Philippines, PSLINK, has put together a photo report of the effects Yolanda has had on the population and more specifically on the lives of public sector workers.

The impact of hurricane Sandy on consolidated Edison of New York

10 February 2014
UWUA

This position paper produced by the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, is an assessment of restoration efforts and gives recommendations for the future.

Resolution 25: Labour brokers/employment agencies in the public sector

03 February 2014

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI),
meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 24: Austerity and Privatisation

31 January 2014

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI),
meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 37: Ethical International Recruitment

30 January 2014

 The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI), meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 11: Redress taxation systems to adequately fund public services

29 January 2014

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI),
meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Organisations denounce Nestlé’s new human rights impact assessment

20 December 2013

Nestlé’s new human rights assessment, launched at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights last week, is full of holes say labour and civil society organizations, including the Blue Planet Project, FIVAS, Food & Water Watch, and Public Services International.

Water, electricity and the political context in Arab countries 2011

11 April 2013

This report examines the electricity and water sectors in North African and Middle Eastern countries, including the record of privatisations, and the potential implications of the democracy movements, and the response of international institutions, as of September 2011.