Resolution 5: Common Good – Common Wealth Framework

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

RECOGNISES         

growing income inequality as the greatest challenge facing many countries around the world today;

IS ALARMED         

that the income gap between the richest and poorest citizens of most countries has been growing dramatically over the last 30 years, making national economies more unstable, damaging the social fabric of nations and diminishing the living standards of their citizens;

ASSERTS                

that growing income inequality around the world is exacerbated by four global phenomena:

• An increasing lack of tax fairness in many nations which has resulted in increased government spending on tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy and less government spending on public services;
• An unending attack on public services and programs around the world which has left more and more of the world’s vulnerable citizens to fend for themselves;
• A relentless attack on labour rights in favour of corporate rights which has led to shrinking union density in most countries and the inability of unions to achieve greater income equality for working people; and
• The abandonment of proactive industrial strategies around the world in favour of hands-off strategies of deregulation, free trade, privatization and government spending on tax cuts to corporations without any corresponding commitment to job creation;

UNDERSTANDS   

the value of public services as an expression of a nation’s common wealth for the common good;

AFFIRMS                

that public services provided by governments must be funded adequately through progressive tax systems based on fairness;

NOTES                     

the growing body of empirical evidence from international organisations, such as the ILO and the World Bank, which clearly shows that high rates of unionization lead to greater income equality;

SUPPORTS            

the development of industrial strategies by nations which encourage mixed economies based on sustainable economic growth, green technology, fair wealth distribution and social justice;

CALLS UPON         

Public Services International to adopt a ‘Common Wealth – Common Good Framework’ that is focused on:

• Quality public services that meet the needs of all citizens and enhance values of equality and inclusion;
• Tax fairness based on a progressive approach to wealth distribution;
• Industrial strategies which encourage mixed economies based on sustainable economic growth, green technology, fair wealth distribution and social justice; and
• Recognition that labour rights are human rights and is a critical instrument to achieve higher levels of economic equality and social rights for all citizens;

URGES                                 

PSI to advance this framework as a smart economic policy approach to reducing income inequality in countries around the world;

FURTHER URGES           

PSI to promote the framework in its Quality Public Services – Action Now! campaign as well as its dealings with national governments and international institutions.

See all Congress resolutions including the Program of Action and the Constitution.