Alternatives to privatization: For progressive public water management

A large group of water activists and many unionists discussed with each other how to promote public water, defend jobs and high quality water and how to resist the large multinational companies active in the European water sector. Themes were:

Successful campaigns, remunicipalisation and public water operators

Europe’s citizens do not want private water if asked !. They are attached to their public companies. Cases were presented of successful campaigns in which the future of the water company became a political issue in referenda or elections, with notable examples being the water company of Paris, and of Norrkoping (Sweden). Kommunal and management of VA Syd presented the Malmo water company and the municipal federation with Lund as an example how unions and management work together. The mayor of a Sicilian network of municipalities outlined how he and his colleagues work together to establish a public water company. Corporate Observatory Europe (CEO) presented an overview of progressive public water companies in Europe.

The groups further considered the European dimension. CEO indicated the intricate web of Veolia’s lobbying at European level. Veolia has hired a number of experienced high level lobbyists to promote its message. PSIRU outlined the challenges for public water policies given the European Commission’s attack on municipal water companies. EPSU’s Jan Willem Goudriaan asked the European water network to pay more attention to the European dimension and to make water policy an issue during the European elections.

EPSU, Kommunal and many other groups such as Corporate Observatory Europe, Attac Germany and Italy, Italian Water Movement, French water groups, Swedish network for Common Welfare, Turkish activists and others organized the seminar, 19 September 2008, Malmo EPSU affiliated trade unions participated in the seminar.

This seminar was part of a series. Another concentrated on the preparation of the World Water Forum, 18-22 March 2009 in Istanbul and a third saw the launch of the European Network of Water Movements, which is also supported by EPSU.

 to read more on the EPSU trade unions seminar