Privatisation

Members of the Global Union Federations (GUFs) led a silent protest Friday at the opening of the Governors’ Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) against the financial institution’s continued inaction to their calls to protect and promote workers’ rights in all its projects.

The Rio+20 Summit comes amidst the climate, food and economic crises we have been experiencing in recent years.

The crisis of capitalism is forcing corporations to seek new sources of profit, and to ensure that they don't lose the ones they already have. Their lobby has been preparing for the Rio +20 summit, defining the concept of Green Economy to serve corporate purposes. It is being used as a clever cover to justify the commodification and financialisation of natural resources, which are key ingredients for their profits.

Health staff and patients will rally in London on 7th March to say no to the government's Health and Social Care bill and to tell the UK government that the NHS is not for sale.

The Dutch Parliament voted for an amendment by the Socialist Party to stop the contribution to the PPIAF, a fairly modest 1.2 million euros, but symbolically important.

Public Services International sent a letter to Pakistani trade unions on 20 December 2011 strongly supporting the national mobilisation against privatisation of the electricity sector. Experience shows that electricity privatisation is a disaster for almost all involved, except perhaps a very few who manage to squeeze profits from rising tariffs, reduced wages, increased outsourcing and precarious labour, and other unethical practices.

On Wednesday 30 November, public sector workers all over Europe are protesting against austerity measures following a call for action by the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU). In the UK, 2 million workers are taking part in the public sector unions’ pension strike. Trade unionists in Bulgaria, Belgium, Greece and other European countries are organising a national day of action on 30 November.

The National Union of Electricity Employees deplored the Nigerian government’s deployment of troops on 14 November to guard public power company installations nationwide. They described the action as irrational, considering that talks are still ongoing over the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.