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Privatisation

Quality public services are the foundation of democratic societies and successful economies. They ensure that everyone has equal access to vital services, including as health care, education, electricity, clean water and sanitation. When these services are privatised, maximizing corporate profits replaces the public interest as the driving force. Privatisation is a dangerous trend that must be reversed.

VIDEO: Watch the presentations of the International Seminar on Corporate Power

28 August 2018

The event held by PSI, with the support from FES, on August 1 and 2 in Panama City, sought to analyze how transnationals capture democracy, manipulate public opinion and seek to control personal data to be used in accordance with their own private interests.

Norwegian affiliate press charges against private health company

21 August 2018
Mette Nord, President of Fagforbundet.

"This is a very serious matter, where a large and professional private health company has taken advantage of our members," says Mette Nord, President of Fagforbundet.

Corporate power international seminar

27 July 2018

The principal objective of this activity wasto cultivate a broad discussion of the mechanisms that strengthen corporate power while connecting directly to PSI´s global priorities including tax justice, the fight against privatization and free trade agreements.

Privatization Watch - 04/2018

22 July 2018
Latest issue of #PrivatizationWatch (04/2018) - The Global newsletter on privatization of public services around the world.

People's movements reject RCEP - Call for parliamentary scrutiny of mega trade deal

20 July 2018

People's movements from the Asia Pacific region are gathering in Bangkok on the sidelines of the 23rd round of negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to raise serious concerns on the adverse impacts of this mega regional Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

In Honduras, mayor privatises waste sector and sacks 700 municipal workers

17 July 2018

Multinational company demands exclusive rights over street cleaning, waste collection, transport and disposal at the landfill site in San Pedro Sula, the country’s second biggest city. Many trade union representatives among those dismissed.

The right to water is a fundamental human right. No life without water.

10 July 2018

PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli, took the floor at the UN High Level Political Forum during the first global review of SDG 6, water and sanitation, emphasising that, rather than promoting failed PPPs, the SDG process should look at public-public partnerships that are flourishing around the world.

Working for the alternative: Implementing PSI's mandate in 2013 and beyond

19 March 2013

The 2012 PSI World Congress provided a framework for Public Services International's discussions and decisions. However, it is necessary to focus priorities. This document presents a detailed implementation plan for PSI's mandate in 2013 and beyond.

Privatising Europe - Using the crisis to entrench neoliberalism

18 March 2013
Privatising Europe - Using the crisis to entrench neoliberalism

The Transnational Institute (TNI) has produced this working paper and infographic that provides an overview of what can best be described as a great ‘fire sale’ of public services and national assets across Europe that is providing profits for a few transnational companies but is often fiercely opposed by its citizens.

PSI Congress Resolutions

12 March 2013

Resolutions adopted at the 29th World Congress of Public Services International, held in Durban, South Africa, 27-30 November 2012. The resolutions are available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Japanese and Russian.

Resolution 7: Universal access to healthcare

30 November 2012

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

Water companies and trends in Europe

24 September 2012

This publication is part of a series in which EPSU explores the activities of the private sector in key public services. The series offers an overview of multinational company developments and assist trade unions in considering which companies qualify for a European Works Council.

Re-municipalising municipal services in Europe

27 August 2012

Privatisation, contracting out and outsourcing have been the dominant trends in public services. Now there is increasing evidence of trends in the opposite direction, according to a report from EPSU.

Private government "with" public money? Municipal corporations and local utilities in six Italian regions

30 July 2012

Since the early 1990s, in Italy the corporatization of public bodies has become a prominent phenomenon, especially at the local level and in the domain of public utilities. In the context of a very fragmented and somewhat contradictory national legislative framework, the number of Italian municipal corporations has recently passed 5000 units, and represents a complex puzzle of diverse governance models and ownership structures.

Utterly Uncompetitive: the homelands of eternal water privatisation

10 March 2012

This new report from the Public Services International Research Unit shows that private companies delivering water and sanitation services enjoy and abuse monopoly positions. Examines situation in France, Spain and the UK to demonstrate serious distortions practiced by these companies

Presentation of the PSIRU report "Re-municipalisation of public services in Europe"

30 August 2011

A presentation by Dave Hall, PSIRU on the re-municipalisation of public services in Europe.

Effects of contracting out public sector tasks

30 August 2011

A presentation of the results of a research-based review of Danish and international studies from 2000-2011

Annual Report 2010

05 April 2011

In the face of widening cuts to public services and attacks on the rights of public sector workers around the world, leaders of private and public sector trade unions, municipal governments and civil society groups made the unprecedented joint commitment to work together to promote investment in quality public services backed by fair taxation policies as the key solution to the economic crisis, and the best way to build peaceful, equitable, democratic and environmentally-sustainable societies.

Annual Report 2009

03 April 2010

Environmental and social sustainability provided the primary theme for PSI’s work in 2009. Leading into the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen in December, trade unions and civil society allies worked hard to ensure that world leaders would agree on an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions. Alas, this dream did not become reality. But we are committed to continuing this struggle and achieving real results.

Annual Report 2008

03 April 2009

Looking back at 2008 the one word that comes to mind is CHANGE. We saw a dramatic change in the global economy, it was the keyword in the US election and we initiated changes in PSI.