International

Only strong public services can meet tough global challenges

By the ASU - a union partner in international solidarity

Only strong public services can meet the big challenges now facing the world - like global warming, inequality, HIV-AIDS, and achieving the UN's millennium development goals - according to the leader of Public Services International (PSI), the 20 million-strong international public service trade union federation of which the ASU is an affiliate.

Speaking in advance of PSI's Centennial Congress, which takes place in Vienna, Austria next month, PSI General Secretary Hans Engelberts said the free market system was incapable of dealing with big global threats. He said public services had stepped in when the private sector had failed in the past - and were now uniquely placed to meet today's global challenges.

"Privately organised water supply, waste systems, energy and transport completely failed to meet the needs of growing towns and cities at the end of the nineteenth century. After the Second World War, public services were at the heart of Europe's economic and social reconstruction, laying the foundations for economic success. These were big challenges that could only be met by strong public services. And we're facing similar challenges now, only this time on a global scale. Just as in the past, profit-driven corporations are failing to tackle big issues like poverty, HIV/AIDS, migration, inequality and global warming. Once again public services, working with other civil society organisations, are uniquely placed to help deal with them," he said.

PSI celebrates its 100th birthday next month when over 1,000 international participants will gather in Vienna for its five-yearly Congress. The federation represents over 650 unions, with over 20 million members in 154 countries The Congress will tackle a wide range of issues including quality public services; migration; global warming; equality and diversity; corruption, good governance and global institutions; water; privatisation; trade union and worker's rights; global union solidarity; pensions; and young workers' involvement in unions.

As an affiliate of the PSI, the ASU is sending a delegation comprising of National Secretary Paul Slape, who is also the outgoing Oceania representative to the PSI Executive Board, Assistant National Secretary Greg McLean, Victorian Authorities & Services Branch Executive President Russell Atwood and Tasmanian Branch Secretary Sean Kelly.

Mr Engelberts says that, after 30 years of neo-liberal policies of public spending cuts, privatisation and unfettered free markets, communities across the globe were looking to trade unions and other civil society groups to defend public services.

"The neo-liberals have failed. Their policies have mainly resulted in more expensive and worse services. And they haven't fulfilled their promise of greater prosperity for all. Today, over a billion people live in abject poverty. A quarter have no access to clean water and over 800 million are unemployed. Meanwhile, the gap between the rich and poor keeps widening. Across the globe, people, communities and civil society groups are telling us they're no longer prepared to accept neo-liberal ideology over human rights, prosperity and decent services. They want trade unions to help them develop high quality, responsive public services that meet today's needs and expectations - including meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals. Unions in different parts of the world are developing quality public service initiatives that show we are up for that challenge," said Mr Engelberts.

The PSI Congress will also see the launch of a PSI history, called Fighting for Public Services: Better Lives, A Better World. The organisation has launched a 'centennial solidarity fund' to support unions facing severe trade union or human rights violations and to provide urgent humanitarian relief for victims of natural disasters.

Further information

If you would like information about the ASU's involvement at the PSI Congress, please contact Paul Slape on 03 9342 1400 or Greg McLean on 02 9283 9280.

For information relating to the administration of the Congress itself, please get in touch with the PSI contact Bernard Harbor: Phone +33.4.50409141 or bernard.harbor@world-psi.org

http://www.psi100.org (2007 PSI Congress website)
http://www.world-psi.org (PSI website)

The ASU campaign page on "Quality Public Services" can be found here: http://www.asu.asn.au/campaigns/qualitypublicservices.html