We are pleased to share with you the first newsletter for our LRG/Municipal workers' network. The newsletter compiles all news and information on the sector since the launch of the network in September 2016. 

A trade union assessment of the outcome document of Habitat III

In October 2016, over 30,000 representatives of national, regional and local governments, trade unions, business, academia, and civil society gathered in Quito, Ecuador, for the Habitat III Conference (HIII), where state representatives adopted the New Urban Agenda (NUA), the UN guidelines meant to serve as a reference for urbanization policies for the next 20 years.

What has ended in the final text of the NUA is far from trade unions’ demands and recommendations.

PSI delivered an official statement on behalf of the Trade Unions and Workers’ Group in the plenary of the HIII Conference, which highlighted the serious shortcomings and omissions of the final document.

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Bridging Tax Justice and Inclusive Cities for the New Urban Agenda

PSI has recently published new research which explores options for sustainable and fair local and regional government funding. 
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Paris water wins public service award

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.Just hours before the ceremony, Transnational Institute, PSI and a wide coalition of partners released a new comprehensive publication - Reclaiming Public Services - which includes the Eau de Paris remunicipalisation as a key case study for how local communities can fight to win back public goods.

The award and new publication serve as both an endorsement and yet further evidence of the failures of privatisation and the benefits of public provision.

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Mexico City: municipal union wins historic social provisions in capital’s first constitution

PSI affiliate, the Mexico City Public Service Workers’ Union, actively participated in the constitutional process arguing for the inclusion of many of the benefits contained in collective agreements previously negotiated with the local government. The new constitution includes improved provisions for maternity and paternity leave, informal and precarious workers, pension rights and a minimum living wage.

Juan Ayala Rivero highlights the important gains for workers and the public and municipal trade union movement obtained by the SUTCGDMX in the final text of Mexico City’s First Constitution.

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ASU wins just transition deal for ENGIE workers in Australia

On May 1st the Government of the Australian State of Victoria, announced the signature of the Latrobe Valley Worker Transfer Scheme Partnership Agreement, a landmark agreement on a just employment transition for workers in

the energy sector moving from carbon-​intensive towards low-carbon and renewable power generation. The Latrobe Valley Worker Transfer Scheme Partnership Agreement is an important step in the right direction, not only for the State of Victoria but for Australia as a whole, and can serve as an example for other countries.

The COP21 Agreement on Climate Change signed in Paris in December 2015 calls on Governments, and indirectly on companies, to reduce their carbon emissions in line with Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.

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 Japanese municipal workers' union, JICHIRO, supports Myanmar unions

PSI affiliate in Japan, JICHIRO, has been supporting the democratic transition process in Myanmar by carrying out capacity building activities with Burmese trade unions especially in the public sector.

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Nurses congress in Myanmar, 17-18 December 2016, to which JICHIRO contributed providing capacity building workshops amongst others.

Colombian unions negotiate local tripartite agreement for decent work in Bello

In April 2017, the Municipality of Bello (Antioquia), in Colombia, adopted a local tripartite policy agreement on decent work. 

PSI affiliate, the National Union of State Workers, SINTRAESTATALES, has been promoting and negotiating this process since 2012 calling for public policies on decent work, not only in local government but also in the municipality’s entire private sector. 

PSI interviews Darío Restrepo Valencia, SINTRAESTATALES national president, and Labour and Trade Union Rights Officer for CONTRAM-ISP-AMÉRICAS, on the lessons learned and the challenges that lie ahead.

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Argentina: municipal workers mobilise for collective bargaining rights

The Paritarias Act is an important achievement by local and regional trade unions and the public sector in Argentina. It recognises the collective bargaining rights of local government workers in Buenos Aires, the country’s biggest and most populous province. 
However, collective bargaining does not exist in most of the country’s 2,189 municipalities and is partly and formally

established in only 44 of the 135 municipalities in Buenos Aires province, where the Paritarias Act is in force. 

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Colombia municipal workers launch national network

One of the major challenges facing public sector workers in Colombia is achieving full application of International

Labour Organisation Conventions 151 and 154, ratified by Colombia. 

About 40 trade union leaders, representing 12 unions in 16 municipalities, shared information on successful rounds of collective bargaining, formulated joint strategies and actions and took on board PSI Local and Regional Government Union priorities and the corresponding PSI Charter. ​

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Nigeria: PSI supports NULGE's fight for local government autonomy 

There is widespread anger that state governments are not passing on federal funds to local government leaving workers unpaid and services unprovided to the community. 

The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has kick-started a series of nationwide protests to build

support for local government autonomy​ and highlight the absence of democracy and funding for local government.
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PSI "One Day" video series 

The PSI Communications team has started a series of videos on the

everyday work and dedication of public sector workers and the value they bring to their communities. The PSI team will visit about 10 countries in 5 continents and cover professions from the whole PSI affiliate spectrum facilitated by participating affiliates and PSI staff where possible.

The first filming took place in Rome and Siena, Italy, and was facilitated by PSI affiliate CGIL Funzione Pubblica (CGIL-FP).

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Canada: when private goes public – community wins

Five years ago, the town of Conception Bay South (Canada) was facing problems with its privatized solid waste collection. Complaints were on the rise, and costs were headed in the same direction.

In 2011, the town council voted to bring the service in house, ending 30 years of contracting-out. Now, at the end of a successful five-year in-house trial period,the service is staying public. 

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” says CUPE 3034 president Terri-Lynn Cooper

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PSI Asia-Pacific Utilities & LRG bulletin and blog

CONTRAM-ISP (in Spanish)

PSI Global Privatization Watch newsletter

EPSU Collective Bargaining newsletter

Global PSI LRG/Municipal Workers’ Network Charter

Overview of global megatrends affecting LRG

Manual de Presupuesto Municipal - Fundamentos para los Acuerdos Colectivos

La Ley de Paritarias: historia y analisís

10 key points for fair cities and an inclusive New Urban Agenda

Bridging Tax Justice & Inclusive Cities for the New Urban Agenda

110 years after PSI’s very first Congress, workers from across the world will gather in Geneva, Switzerland from 30 October-3 November 2017 for PSI's 30th World Congress to construct alternatives based on the power of organized labour. People Over Profit!

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