Working in the People's Interest >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Countdown to PSI’s Fair taxes Social Protection Floor 29th World Congress for the common good affordable for all countries

19-1 - November 2012 - PUBLIC SERVICES INTERNATIONAL

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Working in the people’s interest >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Feature contents

Editorial: Working in the people’s interest 3 Beyond rio+20 4 tax justice – not tax havens 6 Government by, for, and of the people 8 countdown to Psi’s 29th World congress 9 south africa news 12 migrant Desk initiative 15 social Protection floor 20 Egypt’s revolution far from over 22 turkish authorities target trade unions 23 Why unions must reach out to young people 25 italian water campaign wins 26 fukushima today 29 trade union rights 32

Public services international

BP 9, 01211 Ferney-Voltaire Cedex, France Tel: +33 4 50 40 64 64 Fax: +33 4 50 40 73 20 Email: [email protected] www.world-psi.org

President: Dave Prentis General secretary: Peter Waldorff Editor: Teresa Marshall Photographers: Jesse Morgan, Erivan Dantas Publication coordinator: Caroline Dodd-Taleb Graphic Designer: Jean-Pierre Dauly contributing Writers: PSI staff and Soren Bech, Violeta P. Corral, Rachel Marusek Hermann, Jeffrey Hoff, Yasushi Konno *This issue features a number of stories by independent journalists commissioned through a new editorial collaboration between PSI and the renowned New Internationalist magazine. ni coordinating Editor: Dinyar Godrej ni Writers: James Ceronsky, Cam McGrath, Tim Baster, Isabelle Merminod, Jonathan Migneault, Raphael Adeniran, Giuliana Sgrena

Signed articles represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of PSI. cover: A Robin Hood Tax for a Sustainable World Brazilian youth show their support for the fi nancial transactions tax campaign promoted by PSI and allies, People’s Summit, Rio, Brazil,19 June 2012 Photo credit: Erivan Dantas for PSI issn: 1023-3431 Printer: Imprimerie VILLIÈRE 74160 Beaumont, France focus on public services – volume 19, issue 1, november 2012. Published by Public services international www.QPSActionNow.org Produced by union labour Posters by: Favianna Rodriguez

2 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Working in the people’s interest

greatly look forward to the 29th World Congress of Public Services I International which will be held at the end of November in Dur- ban, South Africa. PSI affiliate leaders from around the world will gather together under our Congress banner In the people’s interest. We will review the unprecedented challenges our unions have faced over the past five years, and measure the effectiveness of our

Editorial responses. Together we will map out global strategies to implement PSI’s Programme of Action over the next five years. This is a pivotal moment in time. It is a blight on our societies if a few people are obscenely rich while others make their homes in worn-out sleeping bags on our streets. It’s so obviously wrong if the richest 1 percent pay a lower tax rate Peter Waldorff than everyone else. PSI General Secretary And it is blatantly unfair when that richest 1 percent is writing the corporate and financial laws, is allowed unfettered election spending ability, and controls the mainstream media outlets that shape public opinion. Along with ensuring that our members receive fair wages and safe working conditions, our struggle is for the common good. At Con- gress 2012, we will reaffirm our collective commitment to ensuring that healthcare, education and the right to clean water and sanitation are implemented as universal rights. We are determined to attain equality for women, eliminate poverty and inequity, and build just, sustainable, democratic societies. We will use our Programme of Action to strengthen our efforts to increase good governance and oppose corruption. As the stories in this issue of Focus magazine detail, these are the reasons why PSI is working with the Council of Global Unions to broaden the Quality Public Services-Action Now! campaign and lob- by for a financial transactions tax – also known as a Robin Hood Tax. It’s why we joined with allies to fight back privatisation and advance more sustainable visions at the Alternative Water Forum in Marseille, France and at the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil. It’s why we’ve spoken out in solidarity this year on behalf of members on hunger strike in Algeria, members imprisoned in Turkey, and members whose lives have been threatened in Nigeria. And it’s why we joined in mourning for the Marikana Lonmin min- ers who were massacred in South Africa, and why we share in the heartfelt calls for healing, justice and peace there. And it’s why we brought together an international team of senior PSI affiliate union communicators to work with Wisconsin members this year, to share their stories around the world. Because working people have trade union rights, clearly outlined under International Labour Organisation conventions. And because we will do our utmost to defend these rights. In the daily struggle to defend public services and the rights of our members, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that we also have an unprecedented opportunity to effect positive change. The times call for bold action guided by a strong vision. Quality public services are the key to building civil societies where people work together for the benefit of the whole community, not just the wealthy. Our strength is working together, for the common good. ❚

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 3 PSI PSI affiliate leaders from Peru, Columbia and Uruguay joined Brazil’s Bancarios workers and Rio+20 delegates from 30 countries in a high-profile Robin Hood Tax for a Sustainable World rally in Rio’s financial district, 19 June. See Rio+20 photos and video at: www.world-psi.org/rio20 Beyond Rio+20: Earth’s citizens must take action

he general failure of the Rio+20 subsidies, protecting oceans, promoting nities, the right to water was included TEarth Summit presents threats and public services, and other issues critical in the text – in itself a significant opportunities for public service unions. to sustainable development. achievement given the opposition from The threats include the vacuum At best, Rio+20 sets in motion fur- a number of powerful countries, includ- caused by incapable and unwilling gov- ther negotiations. At worst, Rio+20 is ing Canada and the USA. ernments, both nationally and globally. an abdication by governments of many Another priority was to promote a Into this space are stepping the corpo- of the original precepts of the 1992 strong public service message in the rations, which have targeted control of Earth Summit – turning their back on ITUC-TUCA Workers’ Assembly. PSI rep- public services as their next big source civil society participation, increased resentatives advocated against privati- of profits. global governance to resolve global sation, and in favour of a Social Protec- The opportunities arise from the problems, and wealthy countries pro- tion Floor, quality public services, and legitimate outrage of working people viding financial assistance. the need for fair taxation to fund public and our communities at being treated The divide between developing and services. Quality public services are a so poorly. This may spur local organis- developed countries remained wide vital component in addressing sustaina- ing, and greater awareness of the role throughout the negotiations. Clearly, bility challenges, creating just societies, of public services in supporting social every country was out to protect its in- and generating much-needed jobs. justice and sustainable development. terests. Missing was a sense of common A related priority throughout Global campaigns could rise in promi- purpose and direction. Rio+20 proceedings was to strengthen nence to push for a financial transac- In addition, the final text demon- global civil society partnerships and tions tax, regulation of the financial strates how significantly corporations give international profile to the fi- sector, an end to corporate capture of have co-opted national governments nancial transactions tax (Robin Hood public institutions, and implementation and the United Nations. There is no Tax) campaign and the Quality Public of the human right to water. meaningful attempt to regulate or con- Services-Action Now! campaign. This Twenty years after the hopes in- trol corporate activities. Indeed, the was accomplished through a series of spired by the first Earth Summit, text actively promotes public-private high-profile public events that PSI co- Rio+20 failed to deliver a political partnerships as the only “commend- organised during Rio+20. ❚ vision and action programme to deal able” model. with the major issues of sustainability. PSI’s strongest sector focus in Rio David Boys, PSI Utilities Officer and A ‘compromise’ text, imposed at the last was to preserve the right to water Teresa Marshall, PSI Communications moment by the Brazilian government, language in the official text and to Coordinator was described by 1,000 non-profit strengthen our campaigning and links groups and trade unions – including with civil society through our work at PSI, as “the future we don’t want.” They the parallel People’s Summit. cited failures on removing fossil fuel Importantly for PSI and our commu-

4 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org NNU

Nurses rally for a Robin Hood Tax in Chicago during G8 meetings in May. NationalQuality Nurses Public United Services-Action has successfully lobbied to have related legislation introduced in the USA. PSI Now! campaign representatives also supported Robin Hood Tax actions at the World AIDS Forum in July. Busting the myths about the Robin Hood Tax

financial transactions tax – also known as a Robin Hood one percent on bonds and equities, and even less on other ATax – is winning more and more support as a means to financial instruments – would generate about $300 billion a generate substantial new revenue to fund quality public serv- year that can be used to reverse poverty and climate change ices and sustainable development. It is also an important step and fund quality public services. Importantly, the FTT would towards tax fairness. also help to regulate markets, curb speculative market be- The costs of the near financial meltdown and continuing havior and short-termism, and encourage more sustainable economic crisis have been huge, points out a new ‘myth- and equitable long-term economic growth. busting’ research document, prepared by Stamp Out Poverty Financial institutions – now massively subsidized by ordi- and translated by PSI, to address some of the myths about nary taxpayers, and determined to maintain their huge bo- the FTT. nuses and near tax-free operations – have propagated many The time is overdue for financial institutions to pay their myths to avoid paying their fair share. The research paper fair share. By the end of December 2009, advanced G20 clearly shows these myths to be false. economies had spent the equivalent of 6.2 percent of world For example, it shows that FTTs have been successfully GDP – $1,976 billion – on bank bail-outs. Yet in Europe and imposed by individual nations, and do not need to be global the United States, it has been ordinary citizens, with no re- to work. In addition, it shows that a well-designed FTT can sponsibility for creating the crisis who have borne the costs minimize tax avoidance. with job losses and cuts to public services. In developing This research lays to rest 12 of these myths, while demon- countries, which also did nothing to cause this collapse, the strating how the FTT will promote market stability, improve price has been severe with funds for health, development, pension values, increase economic growth, and help create infrastructure and climate change being cut or suspended. jobs. ❚ France, under its new president François Hollande, is one of the latest countries to implement an FTT – recognising Soren Bech that it is one of the few available options that can generate financial resources in sufficient quantity to make a meaningful contribution to the continuing costs of the global economic crisis, and support sustainable development. www.world-psi.org/mythbusting A tiny tax imposed by developed countries – one-tenth of

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 5 Tax justice — not tax havens

ublic workers in Norway, as in achieve our common goals.” Pmany other countries, are strug- Benedikte Pryneid Hansen, Chair- gling against neo-liberal public sector woman of Attac Norway, notes that, reform. In Norway, this is known in “Thanks to support from Fagforbundet practice as ‘new public management’ we could print a magazine edition fo- or NPM, and includes the privatisation cused on ‘new public management’, and and outsourcing of municipal services. by distributing the magazine through Fagforbundet, the Norwegian Union Fagforbundet’s network, we reached of Municipal and General Employees, more readers, most of whom work in has been on the frontline fighting the public sector.” against the implementation of NPM at A new area of cooperation develop- the municipal level. But, in the age of ing between Fagforbundet and Attac globalisation, this effort must also be focuses on exposing where much of tax- extended to the international stage. payers’ money ends up. Private companies which bid for mu- “We know that a lot of profits go to nicipal contracts are often linked to tax havens – and the money often trav- larger multinational corporations which els via commercial welfare companies frequently hide profits and evade taxes that work for the municipalities. Attac through tax havens. Norway also works closely with our A new report from the Tax Justice Swedish colleagues and with others in Network estimates that unreported our international network, to try to fol- offshore wealth held in tax havens has low the money,” says Pryneid Hansen. reached at least $21 trillion, and possi- Attac Norway has produced a new bly as much as $32 trillion. That means tax haven campaign guide that calls on that the problem of inequality in wealth municipalities to officially ‘say no’ to and income is worse than previously companies using tax havens. suspected, the group says. The Minister of Finance has also It also means that many countries announced that by 2014, Norway will are losing out on tax revenue that could introduce country-by-country report- go a long way toward alleviating their ing – an important tool that promotes national fiscal problems. financial transparency; companies will The report considers the impacts of a be required to disclose accounts for range of offshore abuses, including un- every country they operate in. ❚ reported capital flows and under-taxed corporate profits. It places considerable Sidsel Hjelme, Fagbladet journalist on blame on big multinational banks and secondment to PSI in 2012 other financial institutions that are central to the process of shifting money to offshore tax havens. The “huge, secretive offshore industry has truly become the dark side of globalisation,” the report concludes. It urges renewed efforts by developed countries to deal with the problem. This is the backdrop for collaboration between Fagforbundet and Attac Norway. Fagforbundet President Jan Davidsen explains that, “Fagforbundet collabo- rates extensively with different communities and NGOs in Norway, with whom we have common interests and shared goals, and Attac is one of these. The wider alliances and the larger net- www.attac.no works we have, the more easily we can photosFagforbundet

6 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org PCS Public and Commercial Services workers across the UK are engaged in ongoing job actions and protests against cuts to public tax offices and services. United Kingdom UK tax workers tax breaks for take action against cuts the rich, crumbs for everyone else ax workers belonging to the Public using two private companies to handle n the United Kingdom, the Public and and Commercial Services union tax credit enquiries. T Commercial Services Union and War on have engaged in a series of industrial PCS General Secretary Mark Serwot- I Want have engaged in a joint campaign actions to protest the extent of cuts in ka says: “While millionaires in the cabi- to demand the government abolish tax government revenue and customs serv- net wring their hands about the moral- havens and end tax dodging. ices in the United Kingdom. The gov- ity of tax avoidance, they are ploughing A recent report done with the Tax Jus- ernment plans to cut 10,000 more jobs ahead with plans to cut thousands more tice Network examines the effects of tax from HMRC by 2015, on top of more jobs from the department responsible havens on tax collection, financial stabil- than 30,000 already cut since 2005. for doing something about it. ity, corruption and poverty. It also looks The union’s 55,000 HMRC members “The case for investment in our pub- at the consequences of secrecy laws in held a strike in July. In August, work- lic services as an alternative to auster- tax havens on the international financial to-rule action was combined with a ity could not be more obvious than it is system. public campaign to highlight the prob- in HMRC.” ❚ The campaign calls on the government lems caused by job cuts and the threat to end tax dodging by: putting a morato- of more privatisation. Further job ac- PCS rium on tax office staff cuts and closures; tion was slated to follow in the autumn. abolishing UK tax havens; promoting The union estimates that more than transparency through country-by-country £120 billion a year is lost to public fi- reporting by companies; and prosecuting nances through tax evasion, avoidance those who profit from money laundering and non-collection because of a lack of and tax dodging. ❚ departmental resources. The union is also concerned about creeping privatisation, with HMRC www.pcs.org.uk spending £4 million on a year-long trial

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 7 Government by, for, and of the people

• Public Administration is at the heart of good governance through public policy-making, auditing and procurement. It is regularly the target of lobbying and corporate attempts to capture governments. • Utilities have long been recognised as a breeding ground for corruption via large contracts for privatised services, building contracts and public-private partnerships. • Health and social services are

Alexandre Guédon likely to be subject to the next wave Through widespread public actions that built the Maple Spring/ Printemps érable movement of 2012, Québec of privatisation as pressure mounts students helped to bring in a new provincial government and succeeded in their demands that tuition fee on health budgets. Worryingly, the increases and civil liberty restrictions be removed. pharmaceutical industry invests heavily in influencing government policy. PSI’s new Programme of uestions of governance lie at the However, an additional question is Action will increase our focus Qheart of our greatest social and being asked: are our governments cur- on fighting outsourcing and economic problems. From climate rently capable of designing and deliver- privatisation in health and social change to labour laws, from defeat- ing the solutions that people require? services such as age and disability ing tax havens to regulating financial For example, do we have an interna- services. markets, ensuring that government re- tional government structure capable of • Municipal government sponds effectively and transparently to legislating, administering and enforc- functions are often relatively the needs of people is essential. ing a transnational financial transac- distant from central government This is of particular importance to tions tax? Such questions must be asked audit and may be subject to less public employees at a time when gov- in the wake of government failures to public scrutiny. Nonetheless, ernment and regulatory failure is used regulate financial markets and move large contracts in building and as an excuse to attack public sector forward on climate talks. maintenance can be very lucrative. unions, wages, working conditions and Working with affiliates to hold inter- PSI’s Programme of Action identifies pensions. Bad policy and corruption national government institutions to ac- good governance and fighting corrup- cause untold hardship. As long as these count, through influencing national gov- tion as areas where PSI will increase its issues receive relatively little attention, ernments, is therefore a priority for PSI focus. A forum for affiliates focusing on public services and public sector work- in its 2013–2017 Programme of Action. good governance and public audits will ers are easy targets. The disgraceful The most obvious area of govern- be held in Durban, leading into Con- conduct of employers during the 2012 ment failure is corruption. gress 2012. ILO International Labour Conference – PSI research shows that corruption Fighting corruption and promoting where they blocked trade union rights affects both developed and develop- good governance both require transpar- violation hearings that concern the ing countries. It is devastating when ency, accountability, public participa- most vulnerable workers in the world – large corporate interests influence tion and investment in skilled well paid is an unfortunate case in point. government policy, procurement and staff. It also requires strong independ- There is much evidence that good regulation. ent audit and court systems prepared to governance is a major determinant of This corporate influence, while com- impose sufficient sanctions on compa- economic development. Programmes plex, is increasingly blatant. It is some- nies that benefit from corruption. ❚ such as the Social Protection Floor ini- times illegal. More often, it corrupts tiative which promote strong, coherent good governance. Daniel Bertossa is PSI’s Senior Policy and government promise significant social For PSI, governance and corruption Advocacy Officer and responsible for co- and economic spin-offs. have strong sectoral dimensions. ordinating PSI’s governance work

8 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Countdown to PSI’s 29th World Congress

Mantashe notes that 2012 marks Congress. PSI’s last World Congress 18 years since the end of apartheid, was held in 2007 in Vienna, Austria. and is also the 100 year anniversary This year’s gathering site is the of the African National Congress ultra-modern Durban International “which emancipated the working Convention Centre, which recently “We are ready to class of South Africa.” hosted the United Nations COP17 welcome the world to PSI delegates will gather in environment conference. More South Africa!” smiles late November for a series of pre- than 200 sponsored delegates will congress seminars and meetings be among the hundreds attending Tozama Mantashe, Chair of followed by four days of official from PSI affiliate unions. PSI’s South Africa Congress proceedings at PSI’s 29th World Coordinating Committee

Pre-congress seminars and meetings Robin Hood Tax rally Pre-congress workshops will address health, utilities, young Delegates will also join with Durban affiliate members for workers, and migration issues, good governance versus cor- a public Robin Hood Tax rally, in connection with the Qual- ruption, and building PSI’s municipal network. A Women’s ity Public Services-Action Now! campaign. The event will Caucus and regional executive meetings will also lead into highlight PSI’s contention that fair taxes, such as a financial the official Congress. transactions tax, are necessary to fund public services.

Core resolution – Programme of Action Follow social media news At Congress, delegates will debate the core PSI Programme For updates and reports from Congress, please see of Action for 2013-2017, a range of affiliate resolutions and http://congress.world-psi.org/, join as a Public Services a revised Constitution, and engage in interactive panel dis- International Facebook friend, and follow Twitter and Flickr cussions on winning campaign strategies, advancing public photo feeds via hashtag #PSICongress2012. ❚ sector trade union rights, fair taxes to fund quality public services, equality and eliminating discrimination.

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 9 Congress elections

Two candidates have officially declared they will stand for the position of PSI General Secretary.

Rosa Pavanelli is Peter Waldorff is President of Italy’s seeking re-election Federation of Public following one term Employees (Federazione in office. Waldorff Lavoratori Funzione previously led the Pubblica FP-CGIL) and trade union for PSI Vice-President, government and public European Region. employees in Denmark Please see her (HK/Stat) from 1998 campaign website at to 2007. Please see his www.rosapavanelli.net. campaign website at www.waldorff.org.

The positions for PSI President, Vice-Presidents and Trustees are also open for election. Current President Dave Prentis, head of UNISON in the UK, replaced former president Ylva Thorn (Kommunal, Sweden) when she stepped down in 2010.

PSI World Congress host affiliates

Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (HOSPERSA) National Education, National Public Service National Union of Public Health and Allied Workers Union (NPSWU) Service and Allied Democratic Nursing Workers’ Union Workers (NUPSAW) Organisation (NEHAWU) of South Africa (DENOSA)

AN DEMOCRATIC NUR FRIC SES H A UN T IO U .D.N. N O S.A U. S

NURSES CARE Police and Prisons Civil South African Democratic South African Municipal Rights Union (POPCRU) Nurses Union (SADNU) Workers Union (SAMWU)

10 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Working in the people’s interest Advancing social justice through quality public services and trade union rights

abour leaders from around the world will gather for the The values, policies and actions of Public Services Interna- L29th World Congress of our global union federation Pub- tional are anchored in a world vision of democratic societies lic Services International in Durban, South Africa from 27-30 wherein quality public services advance and protect human November 2012. Under the banner In the people’s interest, PSI rights and fundamental freedoms, enabling equity, solidar- members will set policy and action plans on key issues con- ity and prosperity to flourish. PSI’s proposed programme of cerning trade union rights and advancing public services for action for the coming five years centres on working to elimi- the common good. nate inequality, social injustice and the imbalances aggravat- PSI General Secretary Peter Waldorff says, “We are in the ed by capitalism, corruption and financial profiteering. ❚ midst of momentous times marked by the wave of indigna- tion and popular revolt against both dictators and neo-liberal policies sweeping our world. PSI, which represents 20 mil- Unions in South Africa are leading a major campaign to ban the exploitive lion working women and men, is committed to advancing the practice of labour brokering - which promotes precarious work at low wages with quality public services, supported by fair taxation policies, few to no job security or workplace protections. that build just and sustainable societies. “From the Arab Spring, to the uprising of public service workers in Wisconsin, to the Indignados youth movement in Spain, to the student protests in Chile and Quebec, to the repeated general strikes of our affiliates across Europe against austerity policies, to the Occupy movement that was sparked in North America and spread worldwide – working people and our communities are uniting everywhere in our demands for social justice and equality. We also emphasize the need for investment in quality public services and infrastructure to ensure effective response in the cases of disas- ters, such as those experienced in Japan, Australia and Haiti in recent years.” PSI President Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, the UK’s largest union, says: “In South Africa and around the world, public sector unions are campaigning for quality public services. We recognise that public services of the highest level of quality achievable are required for equitable distribution of growth and sustainable development. Quality public services guarantee access, they are affordable, democratical- ly accountable, provide for social justice, elevate the quality of life, and offer the opportunity of prosperity.” Tozama Mantashe, Chair of PSI’s South Africa Congress Coordinating Committee, and Second Deputy President of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union adds, “We are proud that PSI is also making a major contri-

bution in terms of a community-building legacy through our PSI Quality Public Services-Action Now! campaign in Durban, an initiative endorsed by the Council of Global Unions. This project brings together unions, civil society organisations and eThekwini municipal representatives in a new model of social dialogue to improve public service delivery to local residents.”

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 11 South African National soul-searching unions in wake of Marikana reach public mine massacre service n 16 August, South African police the world will join with South African Oopened fire on 3 000 striking drill union leaders to discuss how quality operators at the Lonmin platinum mine public services and public ownership of agreements in Marikana. At the time, police report- resources can most effectively work in ed that 34 people were killed, the people’s interest to build just, sus- SI affiliate unions in South 78 injured and 259 were arrested. An- tainable and democratic societies. PAfrica NEHAWU, POPCRU, other ten people had been killed the “We support all efforts for peace, jus- DENOSA and SADNU signed a new previous week in violence at the mine. tice and healing in the Marikana situ- public service wage agreement on “Our hearts grieve with the families ation so that such a tragedy will never 31 July. The agreement includes who have lost their loved ones, and happen again,” he said. “These deaths a 7 percent salary increase back- those who are injured, and we raise our must not be in vain.” dated to 1 May 2012, a 1 percent voices in solidarity with all South Af- South African President Jacob Zuma consumer price index increase ricans and comrades around the world has called the events a national tragedy through to 2015 and a 100 rand who lament this tragic situation,” said and appointed a judicial commission of (€10) housing allowance increase. PSI General Secretary Peter Waldorff. inquiry. A wage settlement agreement “It seems incomprehensible that so The workers were asking for increas- for employees in the local many poor and desperate mine workers es to their poverty level wages. They government sector was signed – performing some of the most brutal earn about 4,000 rand (€400) a month. 27 July. SAMWU members will this work – along with their communities, South Africa is home to 80 percent of year receive a 6.5 percent wage should not be sharing in the wealth the world’s known platinum reserves. increase, backdated to 1 July, and of one of the richest industries in the Lonmin, based in the UK, is the world’s an additional 0.5 percent increase world. Decent wages and safe working third largest platinum producer. ❚ from 1 January 2013. Subsequent conditions must be provided as a basic increases will be linked to the human right.” Consumer Price Index. ❚ In a letter to President Zuma, Waldorff noted that at PSI’s World Congress in Durban, South Africa in November, union leaders from around

12 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Municipal workers raise the alarm Tahir Sema Tahir Tahir Sema Tahir SAMWU’s newly-elected national leadership at its 10th National Congress in Mangaung (L>R) President Sam Molope, 1st Deputy President John Dlamini, 2nd Deputy President Lorraine Baitsiwe, General Secretary Walter Theledi, National Treasurer Gati Malete, and Deputy General Secretary Miya Mokoni. / SAMWU protest.

he South African Municipal Workers’ Union held • Average life expectancy is projected to drop below Ttheir 10th national congress from 7-10 August 2012. 50 years. SAMWU represents over 160,000 members. President • Corruption, nepotism and maladministration are Sam Molope, who was re-elected as union leader, calls creating disorder in the local government sector. attention to the continuous struggle of South African South Africa’s Auditor General recently reported workers for equity and justice since apartheid fell in that of 283 municipalities, only 5 percent received 1994. He also notes many outstanding concerns: clean audits. Five provinces did not have a single • Youth unemployment at more than 50 percent is municipality with a clean audit, including Gauteng, amongst the highest in the world. South Africa’s economic centre. • Rates of casual jobs and labour brokering are SAMWU is engaged in a fierce anti-corruption cam- increasing daily. paign, exposing local corruption cases – often associated • Workplace safety is compromised and many workers with the privatisation of public services – across the are dying in the mines. country. ❚

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 13 PSI has contributed to a global union campaign to highlight the important contributions of migrant workers to healthcare, education, construction, and domestic care work. Posters and public tram billboards were prominently placed throughout the 2012 International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

Nurses share concerns and strategies across borders

eaders of nursing unions from Brazil Nurses in Brazil, explained that five new Monica Carris Armada, President Land the United States, brought to- state unions have recently joined the of the Nurses’ Union of Rio de Janeiro gether during the Earth Summit in Rio federation and that she travels regularly State, explained that the main current de Janeiro, in June, took the opportu- to enlist new affiliates in other states. In issue for her union was to gain approval nity to exchange ideas and information response to questions from the Ameri- of legislation to establish a 30-hour about the struggles of nurses for better can guests about organising resources, work week for nurses. healthcare and working conditions in she emphasized that the state unions The following day, the NNU repre- both countries. usually have only one person working sentatives celebrated with their Brazil- National Nurses United President full time on union issues – obviously a ian colleagues as Rio de Janeiro city Jean Ross noted that, “the problems, great impediment to organising efforts. council passed legislation approving fundamentally, are the same across bor- Other common interests included the measure. Unfortunately, a vote for ders and around the world.” She high- the ratio of nurses to patients and the a national 30-hour work week law for lighted one major difference between length of work shifts. nurses was postponed, despite promises healthcare systems in the two countries, The Brazilians discussed the impor- of support from the Brazilian federal namely that in America, “the system is tance of their struggle to limit nurse-pa- government. ❚ driven by profits.” tient ratios and were very interested in For Brazilians, where healthcare is learning about the situation in America. Jeffrey Hoff guaranteed for everyone in public hos- Nestor Villatoro of the California pitals and local healthcare clinics, it was Nurses Association/NNU, explained that difficult to understand how, as NNU Po- his organisation has won the strong- litical Director Kenneth Zinn explained, est state protection for nurse-patient in the United States some 40 million ratios in the United States, although people do not have guaranteed access to the standards had been strongly at- healthcare. tacked by Republican Governor Arnold Solange Aparecida Caetano, Presi- Schwarzenegger, and have yet to been dent of the National Federation of passed elsewhere in the country.

14 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org PSI affiliates launch Migrant Desks in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana

ublic Services International affili- Pates have launched the Migrant Desk initiative as part of the PSI Migra- tion and Health and Social Care Work- ers Programme in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana. The Migrant Desk is the focal point of the trade union outreach programme. It will provide information, counselling, organising, support services and networking for migrants, prospective migrants and returning migrants. This is a key element of the PSI campaign to defend quality public health services by tackling migration and human resources for health issues. “The Migrant Desk is a pioneering initiative among trade unions in PSI our country. It brings visibility to the PSI affiliate leaders and staff gather to launch the Migrant Desk initiative to promote decent work and quality work of the union in providing infor- public services so people are not forced to leave their home countries for better opportunities elsewhere. mation and services to its members and prospective members who are migrant workers. A core component of that people are not forced to migrate,” cruitment agencies. It is time to come the Migrant Desk is organising,” says says Milka Isinta from the Kenya Union together and put a halt to these illegal Abu Kuntulo, General Secretary of the of Domestic, Health, Educational Insti- practices,” says Thembi Mngomezulu, Ghana Health Services Workers’ Union tutions and Hotel and Allied Workers PSI Sub-Regional Secretary for South- (HSWU). (KUDHEIHA), and national coordina- ern Africa. “We are very excited to launch the tor of the PSI Migration Programme in South Africa’s Minister of Health Migrant Desk. At the same time, we Kenya. Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi was the keynote will also host a symposium bringing “In addition to bringing visibility to speaker at the official Migrant Desk government representatives, trade un- the work of our unions in addressing project launch on 23 August in ionists, employers, non-governmental migration, we also aim to bring more Braamfontein. ❚ organisations and various stakeholders stakeholders on board by launching the to bring attention to the migration of national Alliance for Ethical Recruit- Genevieve J. Gencianos, PSI Coordinator our health workforce and commit to ment. A lot of violations of migrant for the International Migration and ways of promoting decent work and workers’ rights are happening because Health and Social Care Workers quality public services in our country so of the illegal practices of certain re- Programme

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 15 Ghana: Health Services Workers’ Union builds on success PSI Public healthcare workers share best practices across borders through the West African Health Sector Unions Network.

n Ghana, fewer than 10 percent of technical advice and support from the West African Health Sector Iworkers belong to a trade union. Canadian Union of Public Employees. Unions Network While the minimum wage has almost The PSI assisted with the formation of HSWU is now sharing experience and doubled since 2008, at 4.48 cedis the health workers negotiating group expertise by supporting other unions ($2.54) per day, it remains low by in- and a project to build capacity in collec- across borders, especially in Sierra Leo- ternational standards. Many workers, tive bargaining. ne and Liberia, through a four-country especially in rural regions, make even The new salary structure, first in- network together with Nigerian unions less because 90 percent of the country’s stituted in 2010, normalizes salaries called the West African Health Sector workforce is informal. based on qualifications. A paramedic Unions Network, or WAHSUN. But if you ask Yaw Baah, deputy sec- with five years’ experience in the retary general of the Ghana Trades Un- northern city of Tamale, for instance, Looking ahead ion Congress, the West African nation makes the same as a colleague with With representation across Ghana, the has a good union environment. the same qualifications in the capital, HSWU has had to face a fair number “Since 1992 things have changed for Accra. of challenges. According to Kuntulo, everyone,” he says, referring to the year In 2010, Ghana’s public sector work- the biggest challenge at the moment is Ghana enacted its current constitution. ers negotiated an overall pay increase reaching workers who may be apathetic “We have the freedom to outreach. In of 18 per cent, followed by 20 per cent or misinformed about the union’s work. some countries, union members get in 2011, and 18 per cent this year. He and his team are working on im- killed because they try to negotiate a The union’s work on the migration of proving communication, especially at good deal for their members. It doesn’t healthcare workers is another success the branch level. happen in Ghana.” story. The key to future success is solidar- It is in that environment that “The attrition rate of health work- ity and hard work, says Kuntulo. “We the Health Services Workers’ Union ers has been reduced drastically,” says have sleepless nights.” ❚ (HSWU), winner of PSI’s Public Service Abu Kuntulo, general secretary of the Trade Union Award in 2011, has made HSWU. Jonathan Migneault and Raphael solid gains for its members in the areas A study conducted in 2011 by PSI, Adeniran of migration, salaries and retirement the HSWU and the Ghana Registered benefits. Nurses Association – with the support “It’s an exemplary union with stable of the FNV/Abvakabo union of the leadership,” says David Dorkenoo, PSI’s Netherlands, the ILO and the IMPACT regional secretary for Africa. “Other union of Ireland – found that 52 per unions are learning from them.” cent of Ghanaian nurses had consid- The HSWU represents 16,500 para- ered migrating for work. The primary medics and support staff who work in reasons were poor pay and working Ghana’s public, Christian and Muslim conditions and a lack of opportunity for hospitals. career development in Ghana. The HSWU has worked with other The HSWU launched a campaign public sector unions in Ghana, includ- declaring Healthcare Workers Are Not ing the nurses’ and doctors’ unions, For Sale. The campaign provides infor- to improve the country’s single spine mation on the advantages of staying in salary structure for public service em- Ghana and describes some of the risks ployees. In this process, HSWU received involved in working overseas.

16 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org UNCSW 2012: Rural women must have opportunities for development

nion women from around the world have called on governments to commit Uto concrete measures to ensure that women who live and work in rural areas can enjoy opportunities for social, economic and human development. Public Services International and member affiliates were again vocal participants in the trade union delegation to the United Nations’ 56th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held in February in New York. Trade union representatives called for action on decent work for rural women, quality public services, social protection and respect for human rights. “Economic empowerment of rural women workers is possible only through rights at work, access to all public services, including health and education, and adequate public investment,” Lakshmi Vaidhiyanathan, PSI Regional Secretary for Asia Pacific, told the governments, expert panelists and civil society organisations attending the meeting. ❚

Medical and health workers’ week in Nigeria PSI MHWUN President Dr. Ayuba Wabba speaks to the press about ways to promote quality public services.

he Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria or- and the three best Health Zones each received an 18-seat Tganised the first Medical and Health Workers’ Week in minibus, and there were prizes for the best health agency, Abuja at the end of March 2012, attracting over 3000 partici- the best medical director, and others. Three state governors pants. The week of activities included a symposium, a walk were recognized for their outstanding performance. to the Health Ministry to canvas for policies to improve qual- Dr. Wabba says, “The government was surprised that the ity public services, and a national youth meeting involving union was offering awards to government workers for their 190 young workers. provision of quality public services. It has agreed to partici- Dr. Ayuba Wabba, president of the union, notes that the pate in next year’s programme.” ❚ union awarded prizes to government sectors and staff who had made exceptional contributions to the quality of health- Caroline Dodd-Taleb, PSI Communications Associate care delivery in the country. The three best State Councils

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 17 Uniting for quality power

With the unbundling of the energy sector, Kenyan trade unionists have lost jobs to outsourcing while the overall quality of service has declined. Faced with a long list of challenges, Ernest Nakenya Nadome, National Gen- eral Secretary of the Kenya Electrical Trades and Allied Workers’ Union, finds strength in his core union values.

rnest Nakenya Nadome’s trade union activism began Eduring his first day on the job. The recently gradu- ated electrician could not believe his salary as a full- fledged employee was less than he earned while working as a trainee. “When I joined forces with my fellow colleagues, it became clear that this was an issue that was cutting across the sector. The union leadership was not sensitive to the issue, so we had to work around the clock to build up our position,” says Nadome. That’s when Nadome realized there is “strength in numbers” and became committed to trade union activ-

ism. Today he serves as both the national general secre- Jesse Morgan tary of the Kenya Electrical Trades and Allied Workers’ Union and as a national executive board member of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions in Kenya. Since the unbundling of the energy sector in Kenya, workers are facing increased job insecurity due to wide- Now an experienced professional studying govern- spread subcontracting in almost all services, including ment relations at Nairobi University, Nadome still gath- core competencies such as power connection and main- ers power by joining forces with his fellow workers. tenance. The quality of service has also declined, result- Through a Public Services International exchange ing in long service delays and frequent power outages. programme, he visited Uganda and Tanzania to observe With workers and the public demanding answers, the how his colleagues are coping with similar challenges. union feels pressure from all sides. Nadome describes this experience as very helpful in “We are fighting precarious work and members are learning how to more effectively engage with calling for change. We are also under pressure from the employers. ❚ customers, the public, who want value for their money. They want the utilities to deliver,” says Nadome. Rachel Marusek Hermann

18 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Leadership trailblazer

Mintou Garba is the first woman to represent French-speaking Africa as a titular member of the PSI Execu- tive Board. She credits her success to PSI leadership training programmes.

hen Mintou Garba was nominated to represent Wher sub-region at the international level of PSI in 2007, she was credited with two significant accomplish- ments. Not only did she become the first woman to take on the job, but she was unanimously elected as the unions’ representative. Since she began her five-year term, Garba has worked on a number of issues, but has focused primarily on fighting the privatisation of public services, trying to improve social protection deficiencies, and encouraging the advancement of women professionally and within their unions. In her native country of Niger, as well as across the sub-region that she represents, public services are being threatened by privatisation. “Our first concern is saving public services because they are under attack. For example, water, energy, telecommunications and many other services. We are fighting against this privatisation and trying to promote a better quality of the services that PSI we have,” she says. Another major concern for the union leader is trying to improve limited union and civil social protections. “If you take healthcare, for example, services are so expen- training that she has received through PSI. “With the sive that access is not available to just anyone. If you fall skills that I have developed in various training pro- ill, accessing care is a real headache. It is not easy – and grammes, I have been able to take on positions of re- even impossible for many people,” Garba explains. sponsibility in the union,” she says. Among other healthcare concerns, she cites the high Garba says that although women in her region have cost of medications, the lack of medical supplies in clin- come a long way in overcoming gender inequalities, ics, and poor quality of care. Public service workers do more progress needs to be made, especially when it not necessarily have access to healthcare due to low comes to accessing leadership positions. She encourages salaries. her female colleagues to make lifelong learning a A research technician in an animal nutrition labora- priority. ❚ tory at the National Institute of Agricultural Research, Garba is grateful for the leadership and professional Rachel Marusek Hermann

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 19 Social Protection Floor: an opportunity for social justice Olmo Calvo Local residents of Barrio 17 de Noviembre, Argentina.

lose to one billion people now suffer from chronic hun- PSI’s proposed Programme of Action, which affiliates will C ger. Eighty percent of people in the world lack adequate discuss at the 2012 Congress, commits PSI to actively pro- social guarantees. Inequality is growing faster and faster. moting public delivery of social services, and re-doubling our A series of economic, financial and social crises have efforts to guard against flawed private sector models – par- highlighted that the current models of globalisation do not ticularly in the health and social services sectors. provide sustainable answers. Crucially, the SPF must be a vehicle of hope, not the am- As part of its response to the global economic crisis, the bulance at the bottom of the cliff. United Nations Chief Executives Board has committed to a Public sector unions must be ready to promote public pro- Social Protection Floor. The SPF is about more than eradicat- vision and fight the false promise of private models of SPF. ing poverty. Social security means creating an environment Only by doing so can we lock in the lessons learned from the where every person can develop their full potential, free crises. ❚ from hunger, want and disease. It means life and work with dignity. Daniel Bertossa is PSI’s new Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer Although the SPF concept lends itself to strong coherent and Co-ordinator of the Policy and Strategy Team based in public policy and public delivery, this is not automatic and so Ferney-Voltaire, France. He comes to PSI with 20 years carries risks. Countries may pursue SPF programmes based experience in trade union organising and public policy. He has on cash or vouchers that are redeemed via private providers. worked as a public servant, trade union official and political PSI research shows that public provision of social services advisor in Australia and the United Kingdom. has a strong redistributive effect, directly promoting greater equality and supporting economic growth. In contrast, private provision of public services creates the environment for corruption and government capture by corporations. Public provision of health and social services as well as water, education and energy must be the bedrock of successful SPFs.

20 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Social Protection Floor: an opportunity for social justice Towards better working conditions in Togo What does a Social Protection Floor mean?

he International Labour Confer- T ence this year recommended that countries progressively adopt at least the following basic social security guarantees: • Universal access to essential health care services. • Income security for children to facilitate access to nutrition, education and care. • Minimum income security for all through social assistance,

social transfer schemes or PSI employment guarantees. • Minimum pensions for old age Marketplace in Lomé, Togo. After years of persistent struggle, unions have achieved wage and benefit increases. and disability. Recent work by many UN agencies, including the World Bank and hen Togo transitioned to democ- national trade union confederation at- the International Monetary Fund, W racy in 1992, workers did not tracted substantial media coverage. has found that such social protec- know that their struggle to obtain their The Ministry for Labour, Employ- tions are affordable at virtually all rights was only just beginning. ment and Social Security then quickly stages of a country’s development. Immediately after the democratical- called for a meeting with trade union The model encourages strength- ly-elected government was sworn in, leaders on 6 February. The results of ened public administration to deliv- it refused to pay back-dated salaries, ensuing negotiations include that the er coherent social security systems. family allowances or pensions. This government would increase the index This would promote: prompted unions to embark on a nine- value for public administration agents • Demand driven growth, where month general strike. by 10 percent, with compensation redistribution of wealth to In 2006, Togolese trade unions final- back-dated to 1 January 2012; family those most in need increases ly signed an agreement with the gov- allowance for permanent staff in public domestic demand, drives ernment and, between 2006 and 2009, administration would be brought up to economic growth, and thereby the unions, employers and government date, with six months back-pay to be helps fund social services. entered into a tripartite programme to paid immediately; and the examination • Efficient revenue-raising, improve working conditions. At the end of new employment and working con- where initiatives to create of that period, they drew up a frame- ditions for the public sector would be work or supplement income work of reforms of employment and accelerated. create incentives for workers working conditions in the public sector, Public Services International affili- to join the formal sector, thus to be put into practice in 2012. ates in Togo remain vigilant, but are increasing the tax base. However, when the 2012 Finance proud of the unions’ achievements with However, public sector unions Law was adopted at the beginning of these successful negotiations with the must be vigilant in ensuring that this year, workers learned that most government. ❚ national social protection floor ini- of the previously-agreed items had not tiatives are delivered through public been included in the budget. Charlotte Kalanbani, Communications offices and oversight. ❚ The trade unions realised that the Liaison, PSI Regional Office for Africa protection of workers’ rights couldn’t and Arab Countries wait any longer. They agreed to work together and a general assembly of the

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 21 For Egypt’s pioneering union, the revolution is far from over

Abu Eita alleges ETUF bankrolled thugs who disrupted worker rallies and descended on Tahrir Square during the revolution. He has also accused former ETUF leaders of graft and plundering union funds. “Membership dues are essential to (viable, independent unions),” says Abu Eita. “Our union works solely on the basis of collecting membership fees. We do not accept funding from any other organisation or political party, as that would compromise our independence.”

Legal uncertainty Labour activists fear new laws could reassert ETUF’s monopoly, allowing courts to dissolve and seize the assets of unaffiliated unions. Abu Eita has vowed never to let that happen. He says that unlike ETUF- affiliated unions, whose leaders were

PSI chosen in sham elections, RETA was Representatives of member unions at the Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions office in Cairo, built from the ground up by property January 2012. tax collectors. This is direct democracy in action, Abu Eita says proudly. “And unlike hree years before the 2011 revo- They face continuing legal challenges. Egypt’s political parties, we’ve encour- T lution, property tax collectors Egypt’s military government criminal- aged women to play an active role. In challenged Egyptian president Hosni ised strikes and protests in March 2011. fact, the inclusion of women was essen- Mubarak at the height of his power. Military police have broken up industri- tial to securing our freedom.” They faced down riot police. They en- al actions and threatened strikers with “Men always told us our place was dured harassment and intimidation. military trials. at home, and this idea was engraved They struggled for 14 months to secure in our minds,” says Noha Morshed, a better pay. And they created the first Wounded giant member of RETA’s women’s committee. independent trade union in Egypt in During the Mubarak era, membership “But when RETA began to form in 2007 over half a century. in the state-controlled Egyptian Trade and we went on strike, we felt empow- The pioneering efforts of the Real Union Federation was mandatory for ered by acting as shields for men. We Estate Tax Authority Union, established most public sector employees. Instead formed a cordon around our male colin April 2008, encouraged others to of representing workers, it sabotaged leagues to protect them from attacking organise independently. And its mem- their efforts to secure pay increases and security forces.” bers played a leading role in the wave better working conditions. Women account for nearly 40 per of strikes and protests that helped force The ‘official’ union federation was cent of RETA’s 40,000-strong member- Mubarak from power. wounded by a court ruling that dis- ship and hold 13 of 46 positions on the “The challenges we faced before the solved its corrupt executive board. But union’s executive committee. revolution are the same ones we are the state-backed federation still packs While sexist attitudes persist, Mor- facing after it,” says RETA President a punch. Antiquated laws help sustain shed says independent unions continue Kamal Abu Eita, a former tax collec- it. Under decades-old legislation, ETUF to push new boundaries, empowering tor recently elected to parliament. “We membership dues are automatically women and breaking down stereotypes. gained independence. Now we must deducted from workers’ wages. After It is her hope that these advances will defend it.” persistent protests, RETA members carry into all aspects of public life in Before the revolution, RETA was escaped this obligation but most inde- Egypt. ❚ one of just four independent unions pendent union members must pay two in Egypt. Today there are over 500. sets of dues. Cam McGrath, reporting from Cairo.

22 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Isabelle Merminod The situation for Turkish public sector trade unionists is becoming increasingly difficult. Members have been arrested, and several trade union offices have been raided. PSI’s European branch, EPSU, coordinated a solidarity mission to Turkey in October. Turkish authorities target trade unions

arly on the morning of 25 June, Within 12 hours of the arrests, KESK the same claims. One news agency in E trade union activists were targeted members had organised protests across particular, FIRAT, which publishes in in a police operation which swept Turkey. In Istanbul some 4,000 demon- Turkish, English and Kurdish, has re- through 18 Turkish cities. All those who strators held an evening protest rally ported on KESK’s activities, he said. were questioned, arrested or had their in the city centre, with parallel actions The series of arrests is far from a houses searched are members of un- taking place in other cities. one-off attack on trade unions in Tur- ions affiliated to the Confederation of “All those with arrest warrants key. On 13 February, 15 female mem- Public Sector Unions (KESK), one of the against them have been charged with bers of KESK were arrested because country’s main trade union confedera- the same thing,’ Lami Özgen confirmed. of meetings they had held to discuss tions. Those arrested included general ‘That is, [attending] KESK meetings International Women’s Day on 8 March. secretaries and presidents of affiliated and other activities between 8 August The prosecutor has claimed that these unions, as well as lay officials. 2011 and the end of June 2012.” Turk- women also have connections to the Lami Özgen, the president of KESK, ish authorities claim that these meet- KCK. Six of them have been released was one of those detained. Following ings are illegal because, they say, they on bail, but nine remain in an ‘F-type’ his release on 29 June, he exposed that took place on the order of the Union of prison, awaiting the start of their trial the arrested union members were being Kurdistan Communities (KCK) which is on 4 October. held in ‘F-type high-security’ prisons linked to the banned Kurdish Workers’ Lami Özgen stresses that his mem- built for those convicted of terrorism. Party (PKK). bers are not the only people facing In F-type prisons, inmates are kept The ‘illegal activities’ cited in the these kinds of charges. Many writers, three to a cell. They get just half an arrest warrants include a union meet- journalists, parliamentary deputies and hour visiting time with their family ing on 8 October 2011 in Ankara with students are also in jail. On 29 June, each week. Visitors and prisoners are the theme of ‘Human Life in a Free four days after the arrests of the KESK separated by a glass screen and talk and Democratic Turkey’ (ironically, the union members, journalists demonstrat- via telephone – only once a month are police had granted permission for this ed in Istanbul in support of 95 jailed they allowed to meet in the same room. meeting to take place); a one-day strike colleagues. On 2 July, a major trial Union officials are not normally given on 21 December in defence of the right started, in which the 205 defendants – permission to visit. to strike and collective bargaining; and including journalists and a well-known Of the 58 named in the arrest war- campaigning by the teachers’ union publisher – are being charged with hav- rants, six avoided being detained be- against changes in their members’ ing connections to the KCK. ❚ cause they were not at home when the working practices. police arrived. As of 3 July, Lami Özgen believes that media Tim Baster and Isabelle Merminod 28 remained in prison. In addition, reporting of the activities, and sug- the homes of a further 14 members, gestions from news agencies that the not named on the warrants, were also events are linked to the KCK, have searched. given the prosecutor the ability to make

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 23 Economic crisis and austerity measures hit women hardest

new study commissioned by Public AServices International concludes that the global economic crisis, and harsh austerity measures imposed by many governments, are reversing the steps towards equality taken by women workers over the last 30 years and have reduced their families’ quality of life. The report was prepared by Jane Lethbridge of the independent Public Services International Research Unit at the University of Greenwich. It traces the origins of the crisis, the continuing repercussions for the global economy, and the impact on women in dozens of nations. The near collapse of the world’s financial system in 2008, triggered by deregulation and the extraordinary greed of financial institutions, was a Josh Berson major threat to the global economy. In the wake of the economic crisis and ensuing austerity measures, the gender pay gap is now increasing in a Governments used reserves and bor- number of European countries and elsewhere around the world, reversing decades of small gains. rowed extensively to fund a massive bail out of the banks. In turn, this increased national debts. elimination of national bodies estab- have not been informed by any aware- By 2010, governments – attempting lished to promote women’s equality. ness of how they affect women and to maintain confidence in the capital The long-term effects of these ill- their families. markets that had created the problem – considered austerity measures are ex- “After several decades of rising fe- reacted to higher deficits and sovereign pected to be very significant for women male participation in the labour mar- debt problems by imposing austerity and their families. ket, the next decade could see a decline measures. It’s now a vicious circle. The The loss of income for women is be- in the role of women in the workforce, government cuts are deepening the ing felt by their households, children accompanied by a loss of rights, which economic crisis, reducing GDP growth, and dependents. The study notes that will lead to a reduction in the influence and increasing unemployment. This, of this leads to both reduced quantity and of women on a wide range of deci- course, reduces tax revenues needed to quality of food purchased, as well as sions,” warns the report. maintain public services and reduce the decreased medical care. “As governments have been reluctant deficits. “Reductions in household income to use gender impact assessments to as- The impact on women is profound impact on child mortality, especially sess austerity measures, there will have and troubling. female mortality, and lead to lower to be an increase in political will to col- In many nations, most public service levels of girls’ participation in school. lect and analyse data. Trade unions and workers are women. They have been Reduced household income also affects other civil society organisations have thrown out of work in larger numbers the relationships within the family, an important role to play in campaign- than men. Normal labour rights have which results in family breakdowns, ing for research and analysis as well as been trampled. In Trinidad and Tobago, increased divorce rates and poverty,” undertaking it themselves.” ❚ for example, pregnant women were the says the report. first to be made redundant. Cuts in support for services such as Since women too often earn less childcare, child benefits, public housing than their male counterparts, across- and transportation also disproportion- the-board wage cuts have hit them ately affect women and children, and harder. In at least eight European can push them further into poverty. See the full report – Impact of the nations, and many more around the The extensive changes in public Global Economic Crisis and Auster- world, the gender pay gap is now in- services are clearly affecting women ity Measures on Women – on the creasing, reversing decades of painfully as public sector workers, as benefit re- PSI website at www.world-psi.org/ slow gains. There have also been major cipients, and as service users – but the austerity-women cuts in funding and even complete report concludes government policies

24 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Why unions must reach out to young people

It is not so much joblessness as “The individual worker is vulnerable. “ hopelessness that threatens our We can have strength and power if future,” said Aung San Suu Kyi in a large masses of workers are united to- landmark speech to the International gether,” she says. “It is important for us Labour Conference in Geneva on to participate in the economic develop- 14 June. ment and progress of our countries, and “Unemployed youth lose confidence we should have a say in how growth in the society that has failed to give and development shapes our lives.” them the chance to realize their poten- Tan, who surprised her friends and tial,” said the Nobel Prize winner who family by becoming a union activist, leads the political opposition in Burma. says the experience has been one of the Young people today face tremendous most interesting and meaningful of her challenges – and our unions must be life. “Serving as a union activist was part of the solution. Youth unemploy- certainly an eye opener for me. I was ment has hit 75 million worldwide, up able to understand what is happening 4 million since the near meltdown of in the labour movement and the union’s financial markets in 2008. Another important role in improving the lives of 6.4 million have given up looking for workers.” work. Many of those who are working Elected as a young worker repre- hold low-paid, precarious positions. sentative to the PSI Executive Board in More than 150 million young people 2007, she says her contacts with “very live on less than $1.25 a day. As they inspiring and committed trade union- face these challenges, there is a grow- ists” has given her new insights into the ing risk of a lost generation. situation facing young workers and the “The very basic principles behind approaches unions are taking to ad- trade unionism are solidarity, social dress the issues. The Asia Pacific Youth justice and democracy,” says Tan Sze Network, she adds, has grown from Wei, Coordinator of PSI’s Asia Pacific strength to strength since it was cre- Youth Network, and Assistant General ated five years ago. Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of “The network has served us well, Public Employees in Singapore. especially in strengthening young workers’ voices, bringing young people together, and looking at ways to actively involve young workers in public sector unions. “We face many challenges as young workers, but we have a saying: ‘The purest metal is the result of the hottest fire.’ We shall persevere,” she says. Tan is under no illusions about the difficulties and obstacles that lie ahead Youth out loud! as unions reach out to young workers. A PSI photo project for “Countless trade unionists have paid International Youth Day an extremely high price. We are all 12 August 2012 indebted to the heroes who made the sacrifice. As a young worker and union- 1 - Sunghee Oh, Korean Government Employees Union ist, I truly believe that the long stand- (PSI APRO/IB) ing principles and values of unions will 2 - Yang, PSA Youth/New Zealand be with us for a long time to come. It 3 - Uthpala, PSA Youth/New is our responsibility to carry on these Zealand principles and values for future genera- 4 - Colin, PSA Youth/New Zealand tions.” ❚ (Susannah Bailey)

See more photos at Soren Bech http://bit.ly/QRSroY

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 25 Italian water campaign wins another victory

n the 1990s, as in many other parts Iof the world, privatisation was proposed for the Italian water sector. In response, the Italian Water Movement was created – a national network of trade unions, civil society groups, public operators and elected officials. The IWM is a horizontal movement, with no hierarchy or bureaucracy. All members are able to bring their own strengths, which can then be joined together at local, regional or national levels. The Italian public service workers’ union Federazione Lavoratori Fun- zione Pubblica (FP-CGIL) is a key player in the coalition. The Italian water campaign drew inspiration from the many years of international campaigning, anchored by Public Services International and its affiliated unions, and strengthened by dynamic civil society participation. A number of tactics have been deployed, including referenda, constitutional amendments, elections, strikes, dem- onstrations, legal actions, etc. The anti-privatisation efforts further aim to strengthen public management to en- able more democratic and accountable delivery of quality public services. In 2009, the Berlusconi government passed legislation requiring municipal public operators to embark on privatisation. The IWM decided to call for a national referendum, which required thousands of signatures before the vote could be mandated. This involved a long process of intense local mobilisation, coordinated at the national level. any news about the referendum (Ber- Tommaso Fattori from the Forum At first, the Berlusconi government lusconi owns the majority of Italian italiano dei movimenti per l’Acqua/Ital- ignored the mobilisation, given that news and television outlets). Despite ian Forum of Water Movements says no referendum initiative in Italy had this and other blocking measures, the the real result of this referendum is yet achieved the 50 percent of eligi- referendum went ahead in 2011 and that, “Italians rediscovered that they ble voters required. As the campaign was hugely successful - 96 percent of believe in grassroots collective action. gained momentum, the then-president voters opposed Berlusconi’s privatisa- If we have the will, if we are capable directed his media outlets not to cover tion plans. of organising, then we can change the

26 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Italian water campaign European wins another victory Citizens’ Initiative campaigning for the course of events, despite the fact that the establishment would like us to be- human right to clean lieve that it is unchangeable.” Implementing the referendum’s mandates will not be easy, especially water and sanitation not with austerity budgets choking public spending. Building truly participatory, transparent and accountable ublic service unions and their released April 2012, helps to further public services is a long-time effort. P allies are campaigning to collect expose the myths of privatisation and “It’s been 10 years since CGIL first one million signatures to pressure Eu- underline why water must be a public engaged in the public water movement ropean Union governments to imple- service, provided for the common and we can foresee many more years ment the new Human Right to Water good rather than private profit. of fighting ahead,” says Rosa Pavanelli, and Sanitation. The report details how private President of FP-CGIL. “Even though This European Citizens’ Initiative companies have performed badly, the overwhelming majority of Italian – launched by EPSU, the PSI’s Euro- invested too little, and charged too citizens voted against the privatisa- pean branch, and supported by major much. In France, private corporations tion of water in the referendum that affiliates including UNISON and ver. charge at least 16 percent more than we promoted last year, and despite the di – has three main goals: guaran- the public sector. In the United King- change of government, there is still the tee access to water for all; convince dom, water prices increased obsession to privatise water.” the European Commission to adopt 40 percent more than inflation in the The government of Mario Monti a rights-based approach with water 17 years after Margaret Thatcher’s tried to include water among the public services pro- mass privatisation, services to be privatised under auster- vided through even though oper- ity policies. The IWM reacted promptly, the public sec- ating costs had not mobilising people and lobbying the tor; and, make changed. All of the Parliament. Some of the regions also universal ac- increase went to brought a case to Italy’s Constitutional cess to water higher profits. Court, which in July 2012 ruled against and sanitation “Water is not an attempts by the government to bypass part of EU ordinary commod- the results of the referendum. development ity,” says Conny “However, it’s clear now that Monti policy and Reuter, President won’t give up easily,” says Pavanelli. increased of Social Platform, “He has addressed the European Com- investment. which represents mission, claiming to approve a new On 21 a wide range of regulation on the free trade of water June, activists groups active on services in the internal market. staged events social issues. The battles in Italy will go on; there at public foun- “It is a basic is much to do in the water sector. The tains from requirement, a IWM will now focus on re-nationalisa- Stockholm to fundamental hu- tion of those public utilities which were Rome, and man right. Social partly or wholly privatised. Activists from Dublin Platform therefore are also encouraging public operators to Warsaw. And it wasn’t just in the asks EU decision makers to protect to join Aqua Publica Europea, a Euro- European Union that people pro- access to water from commercial in- pean association of progressive public moted and signed the citizens’ initia- terests, and to promote a rights-based water operators. ❚ tive. They also showed their support approach.” in Moscow, Kiev and Ankara. Other A rights-based approach, coupled David Boys, PSI Utilities Officer with events included “sports games” by with public sector delivery of water additional reporting by Giuliana Sgrena Lithuanian energy workers, a cel- and sanitation services, is the best ebration of the one year anniversary way to safeguard limited public water of the decisive Italian referendum resources for future generations. ❚ against water privatisation on 15 June, and a “blue tide” in Madrid. A report by the independent Public www.aquapublic.eu www.right2water.eu Services International Research Unit,

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 27 People’s World Water Forum: Reclaim public water!

Such citizen initiatives are increasingly important. In Italy, unions and civil society groups organised a referendum last year in which 96 percent of voters opposed, and thus blocked, water privatisation. A recent unofficial referendum in Madrid, Spain, showed that 98 percent of residents oppose the sale of their public water utility. In Thessaloniki, Greece, workers and citizen groups have organised in neigh- bourhood cooperatives to buy shares in the water utility which the government proposes to sell (for a fraction of its real value) under austerity pressure. PSI’s most recent research confirms two key points: privatisation does not facilitate water access, nor does it bring new investment. PSI calls on all governments and international agencies using public funds to cease the false privatisation promises and move to deliver safe,

FAME affordable public water systems using Public Services International affiliate members from more than 30 countries joined with civil society allies public funds and public management. in Marseille, France to discuss strategies to implement the new UN Human Right to Water and Sanitation PSI also calls on donor and develop- through public service delivery. ment agencies to focus their efforts on the poorest countries which really need international solidarity support. And wo international forums on wa- ers and public service workers shared PSI asks governments to support the T ter issues happened in Marseille, their views with academics, social public-public partnership concept which France the week of 12 March that – like justice advocates and retired citizens allows best-practice exchanges between reflecting pools, mirrored the different in a series of open forums housed in a public utilities. values of those attending. sprawling warehouse complex. Here the PSI General Secretary Peter Waldorff Intimidating guards presided at the talk focused on implementing the new notes: “There are still more than two iron-gated entrance to the commer- United Nations’ Human Right to Water billion people who don’t have access to cialised World Water Forum; delegates and Sanitation as a common good, not safe water and sanitation in their hous- who paid up to €700 to attend passed for corporate profit. es. PSI is committed to continuing the through stringent security screening, Public Services International trade struggle for water justice until we reach while limousines carrying heads of state union members from more than universal access to water and sanita- and corporate VIPs glided through. 30 countries joined with civil society tion. It is not just about life, it is also for Inside, a vast trade show marketed allies in calling for the establishment of dignity and equity.” the latest in high tech water systems. a legitimate United Nations-led water PSI decries the choice of Korea as the This event, held every three years, council and forum where public water host of the 2015 commercialised water is run by the World Water Council, a policy can be created in an inclusive forum – this is a country which does corporate think tank whose founders atmosphere free of corporate influence. not recognise the rights of water work- include the World Bank and the private PSI’s European arm, the European ers to organise, which illegally and vio- utility giants Suez and Veolia. Water Federation of Public Service Unions, lently suppresses these workers, does privatisation was promoted in many announced that its members will use not allow vibrant civil society engage- discussions; high-level policy roundta- the European Citizens’ Initiative, a new ment and leads a mercantilist approach bles were invitation-only. instrument for participatory democracy, to UN green economy negotiations. ❚ Across town at the free Alternative to implement the Human Right to Wa- World Water Forum/Forum Alternatif ter and Sanitation in the EU. The first Teresa Marshall, PSI Communications Mondial de l’Eau, which was made aim is to collect one million verifiable Coordinator possible by small grants from regional signatures from at least 11 member bodies, young people, indigenous lead- countries in one year.

28 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Fukushima today: unity and solidarity strengthened in the wake of disaster

he day we don’t want to think about finally came. On T March 11, 2011 at 2:46 pm, a magnitude nine earthquake ravaged the region of eastern Japan. The rumbling of the ground shook our understanding. Our fears were ampli- fied by the damage and collapse of buildings. Despite the endless shaking, it felt as if time stopped. We faced blackouts and communication outages and heard tsunami warnings and damage reports from the radio. Residents and daily lives were swallowed up by the dark tsunami. For many citizens, they never expected that a few hours later, the myth of nuclear power would crumble and that they would be beset by a life of vagrancy and loneliness. The next day, residents were hit by the massive scale of the destruction. They mourned the eternal separation from family members and friends. And just when they were beginning to feel the miracle of being reunited with surviving

TEPCO Fukushima members, the nuclear plant accidents happened. Municipal workers, who were themselves tsunami victims, revived themselves with bravery and a sense of mission and responsibility. They exhausted themselves to evacuate people. Amidst conditions from which the Self Defense Force retreated and about which information was not provided by the central or prefectural government, workers continued to devote themselves to their tasks without knowledge about the state of radiation and the need for protection. Their struggle to battle radiation amidst the nuclear accident was a tragic sight. Regions contaminated by radiation have since grown big- ger. Residents’ trust toward the national, prefectural and municipal governments has been eroded, and the bonds of community and family are fraying. In the midst of such a situation, municipal workers are earnestly continuing to fight radiation to restore their hometowns. They have been become the last line of defense for protecting their communities. Christian Åslund\GreenpeaceChristian JICHIRO volunteers from around the country are providing assistance to recover and rebuild the stricken areas, restore government functions, and reduce the burden of suf- fering municipal workers. They have given us a ray of friend- ship and hope in the midst of darkness. They truly embody the trade union philosophy of “union” and “solidarity” and JICHIRO’s movement for quality public services. This bond is a lifetime asset obtained from the toil and sacrifice of union members in affected regions. The Fukushima branch of JICHIRO does not want the lessons from the earthquake and the nuclear incident to fade. We want to nurture the principles of “union,” “solidarity” and “bonds,” and give them to our world and our future. ❚

Yasushi Konno is the General Secretary of JICHIRO Fukushima Prefectural HQ. He stands at the forefront of activities to aid, support and rebuild Fukushima, which was hit directly by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accidents. JICHIRO

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 29 from 20 unions and community groups led to actions against Walmart and Hyatt, followed by a ‘99% Takeover’ of Wells Fargo’s San Francisco shareholder meeting. Similar protests have taken place at annual shareholder meetings of Walmart, Bank of Ameri- ca and Chevron. Continuing cuts in public services propelled public sector workers headlong into The 99% Spring. After 87 Phila- delphia school nurses lost their jobs last year – leaving those who remain with as many as 1,500 students to care for – a group of As spring arrived, union activists launched the Occupy 440 campaign. Every Wednesday, between 18 and 110 people have picketed the 99% bloomed in front of Philadelphia’s Department of Education building on 440 Broad Street. In Wisconsin, public sector fast-growing coalition of union The groups that are involved – many workers continue to build on last year’s Aand social activists is taking steps of which had seen each other as com- uprising against Governor Scott Walker, to ensure that the need for social and petitors – have realized they have much who stripped them of collective bar- economic justice remain in the spot- more influence by working together to gaining rights. light in the USA. achieve their common goals. Whether the goal is fighting a gover- Uniting under the banner of The Theresa Faulkner, a homecare nor, winning a fair contract, expanding 99% Spring, more than 70 groups have worker employed by Washington State’s civil rights or protecting the planet, held nearly 1,000 events nationwide Department of Developmental Disabili- Occupy, The 99% Spring, and the spirit with the aim of training 100,000 peo- ties, led a Seattle training session with of Wisconsin have the same goal: or- ple in non-violent direct action. over 50 participants. Although Faulkner ganising people to take action and de- “We are in the fight of our genera- is a card-carrying member of Local 775 liver a positive message of the need for tion,” says Mike Fishman, Executive of the SEIU, homecare workers are de- progressive change to the mainstream Vice-President of the Service Employees nied collective bargaining rights under consciousness. International Union, one of the spon- US labour law. That hasn’t deterred “The tentacles of the 1 percent go sors of The 99% Spring. her from actively organising disenfran- deeply into every aspect of our lives,” “(It’s) a fight for the middle class, a chised care workers. says Eileen DiFranco, a member of the fight for the basic values that built this “The 99% Spring is a big power tool Occupy 440 group. country.... It’s a fight we can’t afford to to show that the country is backing you The 99% Spring – bringing together lose, and it’s a fight we have to be all in up, not just your community,” she says. women and men from every generation to win,” he says. Workshops like Faulkner’s have and vastly different backgrounds – pro- The 99% Spring mobilisation was already led to action. In Iowa, partici- vides inspiration, hope and practical conceived last summer by a small core pants spoke out against Wells Fargo tools for the rest of us. ❚ of groups. This spring, they joined bank’s foreclosure practices. In Michi- with a raft of progressive allies to gan, 200 trainees marched on the Mas- James Cersonsky train people to confront the power of tronardi Fruit packing plant to protest the 1 percent in their workplaces and wage theft and employer abuse. A Bay communities. Area workshop with 60 participants

30 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Super-secret trade agreement threatens public services

he Trans-Pacific Partnership T Agreement, or TPPA, is an international trade and investment agreement currently being negotiated by Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Viet- nam, and the United States; with the possibility that Canada, Mexico and Japan will also be included at a later date. This is no ordinary trade agreement; rather government negotiators and corporate representatives are secretly working toward a blockbuster deal that places private sector interests above citizens and governments around the Pacific Rim. The TPPA would address the tra- ditional core issues of most free trade agreements, including tariffs, intellectual property, and technical barriers to trade. However, the TPPA is envisioned to also incorporate issues such as the standardisation of national regulatory systems to create ‘seamless’ TPPA markets that accelerate economic globalisation and market opportunities for inter- The TPPA represents a direct threat mote privatisation of public services.” national firms. to the delivery of quality public services PSI supports and encourages mem- The TPPA overlaps with ongoing by participating national and local gov- ber affiliates around the world to di- World Trade Organisation Doha Round ernments. Indeed, the combination of rectly participate in the TPPA negotiat- negotiations and the Asia-Pacific Eco- the degradation of labour rights, the in- ing process to advance the principle of nomic Cooperation deliberations. ternational liberalisation of the service quality public services, propose alterna- The International Trade Union Con- sector and government procurement tive mechanisms to protect and advance federation is tracking the TPPA negotia- coupled with stringent and enforce- quality public services, and defend the tions through an inter-union working able international investor protections interests of our affected affiliates. ❚ group and occasional publications. In together create a trade and investment March of 2012, several large ITUC affil- regime that would invite targeted at- Mark S. Langevin, PSI North America iates, including the AFL-CIO, proposed tacks against the public sector labour Sub-Regional Coordinator a trade agreement chapter for labour movement throughout the Pacific Rim rights and dispute resolution. The 14th and within participating nation-states. major round of negotiations was slated The ITUC also recognizes this threat for early September 2012 in Virginia, in its recent update, reporting under USA. the Services section that “the TPPA The ITUC identifies eight areas of should not impede, discourage or cause greatest concern to the international any problems to the achievement of labour movement, including: labour universal geographical and financial ac- rights, investment, intellectual property cess to quality public services. The ne- rights, services, financial services, gov- gotiating parties should take a ‘positive ernment procurement, transparency, list’ approach in choosing which serv- and special treatment of developing ices to open up. Moreover, provisions countries. of the TPPA should not demand or pro-

For more information, also see ITUC, Public Citizen and AFL-CIO websites

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 31 TRADE union rights

ttacks on public sector workers and their International and its affiliates have responded to unions have intensified in many parts of continuing violations that include murder, impris- Athe world. The extreme austerity measures onment of trade union activists, mass dismissals, imposed by some governments have slowed the removal of collective bargaining rights, and the global economy, leading to the loss of hundreds of refusal of authorities to recognise legitimate trade thousands of jobs in both the private and public unions. We must speak out strongly. We must sectors. In other nations, autocratic governments stand in solidarity with the brave sisters and broth- have resorted to violence and intimidation to try ers who continue to fight for social and economic to silence trade unions that are the key advocates justice in the face of great personal risks. We must of democracy, a civil society, and fair treatment of ensure that no government escapes swift and workers and their families. thorough international condemnation and censure In this unsettling environment, Public Services every time any worker’s rights are attacked.

Algeria Colombia Ecuador Threats and reprisals continue At least 35 trade unionists have been A joint mission from PSI and the In- against independent trade unions murdered in 2012. There were at ternational Transport Federation met engaged in legitimate activities, least 10 attempted murders. While with senior officials in Ecuador in including the PSI affiliated National trade unionists are being killed, in- March to demand an end to attacks Autonomous Union of Public Admin- timidated or have disappeared, the on workers and unions. Last year, istration Staff (SNAPAP). One man government has failed to bring the following massive layoffs of public was killed and hundreds injured in a perpetrators to justice, continually employees, PSI called for urgent in- violent police action against demon- delayed implementation of ILO con- tervention by the ILO. Since then, a strators on 11 July. At least 44 activ- ventions, and refused to recognise “labour reform” bill has moved the ists were arrested and beaten. Nine the right of public sector workers to country even further away from re- union members engaged in a hunger bargain collectively. specting fundamental international strike in May and June to protest the principles of labour law. government’s attacks on human and trade union rights.

Botswana Despite several meetings between PSI and government officials, and the intervention of the International Labour Organization, the Botswana government has intensified its attempts to intimidate trade unionists and suppress legitimate trade union activities. Government actions include mass dismissal of public sector workers who took part in strike action, designation of almost all public services as essential, unilateral withdrawal of benefits, and denial of the right to organise and bargain collectively. When the High Court of Botswana ordered reinstatement of dismissed workers, the government refused and launched an immediate appeal. It has also “deregistered” the

Botswana Federation of Public Sec- PSI tor Trade Unions. PSI representatives led a solidarity delegation to Botswana in early 2012.

32 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org TRADE union rights

Egypt Jordan Threats, intimidation, and extraor- dinarily repressive labour laws that require government approval before a union can be formed or take strike action are everyday facts of life in Jordan. Despite this, the General Trade Union for Workers in Electric- ity launched strike action in April, and workers throughout the country

Hossam el-Hamalawy are joining forces to create an alternative to the General Federation of Kamal Abbas, of the independent Jordanian Trade Unions (GFJTU), the Centre for Trade Union and Workers sole legally approved federation. Services, was sentenced in absentia Swaziland to six months in jail for “insulting a Tunisia On 12 July, police fired on public sec- public officer.” Abbas had the temer- Coinciding with the start of a four tor trade union members peacefully ity to loudly disagree when a repre- day strike by members of the Tuni- protesting plans to cut 7,000 jobs. At sentative of the Egyptian Trade Un- sian General Labour Union (UGTT) in least 12 were injured. King Mswati, ion Federation, associated with the February, the union’s offices around Africa’s last absolute monarch, has former Mubarak regime, claimed at the country were violently attacked, a massive personal fortune while an ILO conference that the govern- contaminated by waste, and burned 70 percent of citizens live on less ment-controlled federation actually – acts of intimidation that were rem- than one dollar a day. In April, police speaks for and represents workers. iniscent of the worst moments of the cracked down heavily on trade un- dictatorship. An arson attack was ions planning pro-democracy dem- Guatemala launched 12 June against the UGTT’s onstrations. At least 27 leaders were Jendouba regional office. arrested, including three attending an HIV/AIDS workshop (the HIV rate Turkey is Swaziland is the highest in the Turkey’s record on the treatment of world, with 25 per cent of adults women and trade unionists has been infected), and two visiting trade un- criticized many times, including by ionists from South Africa. Swaziland the ILO, the European Court of Hu- authorities have harassed, intimi- man Rights, and the European Com- dated and refused to recognise the mission. Arrests and intimidation Trade Union Congress of Swaziland continue. Fifteen women, members (TUCOSWA), the legitimate repre- of the Confederation of Public Sec- sentative of workers. tor Unions (KESK), were arrested on Luiz Ovidio Ortiz Cajas, a leader 13 February and thrown into prisons of the National Union of Health built to house convicted terrorists Workers (SNTSG), was shot repeat- – apparently for planning Interna- edly by an unknown assailant on 24 tional Women’s Day celebrations. March near his home in Guatemala On 25 June, police arrested 71 union City. Three men who were nearby officials including general secretar- were also killed, and two more ies, presidents and other officials of were wounded. The international unions affiliated to KESK. union movement continues to push for justice in the alarming number of murders of union and community leaders that go unpunished in Guatemala.

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 33 When the lights go out Power grid failure in India Premshree Pillai

ndia’s power grid collapsed twice at ency that results in decisions based on to commercial concepts or complicated I the end of July and beginning of Au- short-term economic and political con- legislation.” gust, resulting in outages in 20 states siderations rather than system stability The Indian National Electricity and affecting more than 600 million and equity-based norms. Workers Federation, with the Delhi people, or half of India’s population. The outstanding question is – who State Electricity Workers Union, have Public services such as water supply, will ask for a probe of all the power taken actions to shelve the policy of hospital, rail and road operations were sector scandals, and a full review of the unbundling integrated utilities. Un- brought to a standstill in what was tout- Electricity Act 2003? bundling has resulted in tariff hikes, ed as the world’s biggest blackout. Shailendra Dubey, Secretary General poor quality of service, retrenchment/ India’s electricity distribution and of the All India Power Engineers Feder- lay-offs of employees by way of forced transmission is mostly state-run, with ation, urges government to review the “voluntary retirement”, gross violation private companies operating in Delhi, quota of power allocation to the north- of labour laws, and contractual service/ Mumbai and Kolkata. Less than a ern states. Is the allotment legal or fair? outsourcing. quarter of power generation is private Why do private distribution companies Meanwhile, the Power Ministry nationwide. (Discoms) in Delhi get more than what has stepped up efforts to implement Power officials were quick to blame is due to them? Northern states are the provisions of ‘open access’ in the overdrawing of power from the grid by forced to overdraw power from the grid Electricity Act 2003. This would mean northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, due to shortages and have to pay heavy bulk consumers of 1MW or above (e.g., Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Oth- UI penalties. Meanwhile, Delhi’s private industries) can opt to choose their ers blamed government’s failure to en- Discoms are earning profit from surplus electricity suppliers, while domestic or force discipline in the management of power; UI has become a regular mecha- agricultural consumers – who have no the power grid, enforce existing rules nism to earn more revenues. choice – may have to pay higher prices or punish ‘states that cheat’ or ‘politi- Vinay Pandey, Secretary General for their electricity. ❚ cally powerful’ states that overdraw of the Western India Power Engineers power ‘with impunity.’ Business leaders Federation, believes tripping of trans- Violeta P. Corral, PSI-APRO Consultant blamed coal shortages and other prob- mission lines could have been prevent- lems with the grid and called for more ed through greater coordination in the reforms in the power sector. power sector. The Electricity Act 2003, Power experts called for strengthen- however, has unbundled state electric- ing of outdated transmission lines by ity boards and weakened the system, utilising ‘unscheduled interchange’ (UI) resulting in systematic failure of power funds or ‘transmission conservation’ planning and coordination. Pandey penalties. Many also believe that the notes: “In the name of commercial re- grid failure has at its root a crisis of ac- forms, the laws of physics have been ig- countability and governance – the lack nored. But, electricity only follows the of autonomy, authority and transpar- principles of physics, without regard

34 FOCUS on public services | www.world-psi.org Wisconsin Quality Public Services- Action Now! PSI An expert PSI Communications Action Network team produced articles, videos and photo essays, and assisted unions with mainstream media and social media outreach in Wisconsin.

nion communicators from Canada, busting legislation which repealed state Sharp Sense U Europe and America answered an workers’ collective bargaining rights urgent call to join the new Public Serv- over pensions and health care, limited ices International Communicators’ Ac- pay raises of public employees to the video resources tion Network (PSI CAN), as part of an rate of inflation, ended automatic union expert communications response team dues collection by the state, and re- for healthcare in Wisconsin, USA, in early March. Un- quires public unions to recertify annu- ion journalists from PSI, CUPE, CSQ, ally. In a major recall mobilisation, over PSAC, SEIU National (DC), AFL-CIO one million signatures to recall Gov- workers National, RadioLabour, plus Wiscon- ernor Walker were collected, forcing sin affiliates and community groups recall elections in June. While not all Produced by Public services worked together in an intensive team of the recall elections returned worker- international, this new video effort. positive lawmakers, the fight for justice series was filmed on location with The PSI CAN initiative was designed is far from over. Psi healthcare members in south as a week-long fact-finding and solidar- It’s no small irony that Wisconsin africa. ity mission and to document state affili- was the first state in America to provide ate activities marking the one year an- collective bargaining rights to public niversary of the passage of legislation employees in 1959. Wisconsin affiliates the DvD is available in stripping public service workers’ rights. have expressed their deep appreciation English/french/Portuguese/ Wisconsin AFL-CIO and We Are Wis- for the outpouring of support from PSI German/spanish. consin activities included a bus tour, affiliates around the world. town hall public forums, and candle- PSI is now funding the subtitling in for DvD copies, please contact Psi light vigils across the state. A final rally French and Spanish of the new inde- health officer odile frank, at the Capitol in Madison on 10 March pendent documentary We Are Wiscon- [email protected] drew some 65,000 people. sin, and working with affiliates to sup- An international solidarity delega- port a film-screening tour. ❚ also see: www.vimeo. tion of affiliate leaders from NUPGE com/6551614/videos and PSAC (Canada) and NSWNA Teresa Marshall, PSI Communications (Australia) also represented under the Coordinator and banner of PSI’s Quality Public Services- www.youtube.com/ Action Now! campaign which is de- PSIglobalunion signed to defend and advance public services and trade union rights around Please see a selection of PSI CAN the world. videos, photos and social media In 2011, tens of thousands of citizens work at: www.world-psi.org/ joined in an awe-inspiring wave of pro- wisconsincan tests against Governor Walker’s union-

FOCUS on public services | Issue 19-1 | November 2012 35

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