Public Utilities

(EPSU Press Communication, 7 May 2008, Brussels) The European Parliament Committee on Energy voted with a narrow majority to force Member States to break up vertically integrated companies in the electricity sector, 6 May. The evidence presented by the European Commission for its ideological view has been criticised and found unfounded and based on erroneous assumptions. The social consequences for workers and citizens have not been investigated. The positive historical experience of many countries with vertically integrated companies has (...)

( 04 April 2008, Brussels) Unions reported on the results of collective bargaining. Purchasing power had been maintained for workers and in some cases real wage increases have been obtained that reflect productivity increases and the high profits of companies. Strike action was undertaken in several cases. The EPSUCOB@ network commences to cover a larger number of agreements. The unions support the ETUC Pay Campaign.

(30 October 2007) Europe’s energy unions are not convinced of the Commission proposals for ownership unbundling or the independent system operator which are part of the 3rd liberalisation package. ’Bureaucratic’, ’ideological’ and ’based on flimsy evidence’ were some of the observations. Overall the unions see it as the wrong priority given the challenge to attract investment and to address climate change. A long-term and stable framework is needed to attract investment and not new policy (...)

PRESS COMMUNICATION, 19 September 2007
The Austrian company EVN active in water, energy and related services agreed to establish a European Works Council, 12 September 2007. The company employs around 10.000 workers predominantly in Austria, Bulgaria and Macedonia. The Special negotiating body reached agreement with management and the EWC will include representation from the Macedonian work force in the distribution company. It is believed to be one of the first EWC agreements with a (...)

(28 August 2007) 27 August 1907 union leaders from the electricity, gas and water sector met to discuss common problems and established Public Services International, EPSU’s global sister federation. Our colleagues at that time were also faced with multinational companies who ran power plants, gas stations and drinking water operations in their communities. They saw the need to exchange information to confront the employers. And: all too soon municipalities and other public bodies (...)

(23 April 2007) Energy, water and waste trade unions discussed recent collective bargaining developments in a number of countries. Several colleagues reported that the European companies are seeking concessions from the trade unions on longer working hours, reduction in the number of days leave etc. This happens in the energy sector despite record profits and in a context where billions are spent on take-over battles. The EPSU group evoked the charter on transnational solidarity in an (...)

I’ve signed www.petitionpublicservice.eu. Have you?

PLEASE GIVE US 30 SECONDS OF YOUR TIME FOR A MORE CITIZEN FRIENDLY EU.

I am proud to say that I have signed the petition calling for a legal instrument for public services at the EU level. For the next 12 weeks, EPSU and its 200+ affiliates, will be making the ETUC petition on public services our number one priority. We aim, in association with the ETUC - find your national confederation here - the other European Trade Union Federations], and our growing list of allies, to reach our target of one million signatures by the start of the ETUC congress in Seville on 21-24 May.

Let us remember that the gathering of one million signatures is the message. Our aim, indeed our long term struggle, is to have a strong legal instrument at EU level that reflects the value of public services in European society, recognises the (...)

Europe’s energy policy was the main topic of the 25th meeting of the EPSU Standing Committee on Public Utilities. Members adopted the EPSU response to the European Green Paper on European Energy Policy. Key elements of the EPSU response:
The internal market for electricity and gas can not be the starting point of a coherent European energy policy. EPSU questions the assumption of the Commission that the internal market will contribute to security of supply and sustainable development. The (...)

The Standing Committee on Public Utilities met 11 may 2006, Luxembourg. The following issues were on the agenda:
Green Paper on Secure, Competitive and Sustainable Energy for Europe. Many issues were raised by the Members and a further paper will be prepared to be decided 27 September, the next meeting of the committee. See also: www.epsu.org/a/2018
Services Directive. The Standing Committee agreed to campaign for the further exclusion of Services of General Economic Interest from the (...)

Press Communication: Brussels Immediate release, 22 February 2006
EON bid for Endesa shows Commission "in denial" over EU energy policy
(Brussels, 22 February) Another example of the failing story of EU energy market policy was started on 21 February 2006 when German company Eon bid for Spanish company Endesa. If pushed through, it would create one of the world’s largest energy companies with more then 100.000 workers world wide and a presence in Europe and Latin and North (...)

Municipalities and governments advocate privatisation as the miracle solution to ageing and decaying infra-structures, unions reported to a PSI European sectoral meeting of utility unions. The problem of lacking investment and low collection rates is recognised by the trade unions, but privatisation is not seen as the solution. Governments and political parties need to behave responsible and not promise citizens that essential services come for free. Lack of investment has an impact on (...)

The events involving Gazprom, Ukraine and Moldova demonstrate the importance for the European Union of considering European energy policy. The EU is dependent on external sources of fuels and it is a situation that needs to be addressed urgently.
It underlines the importance for the European trade unions to work together and develop contacts with each other beyond the borders of the EU, underlined the meeting of the President and Vice-Presidents of the Standing Committee Public Utilities. (...)

The ETUC has started a large project on the impact of climate change policies such as reduction of CO2 emissions on Europe’s industries. What will it signify for the energy generation, the building sector, steel and transport for example.
The project will be ongoing in 2006. EPSU and other European Industry federations are part of the Steering Committee that also include government and Commission representatives.
Research groups involved come from German Wuppertal, French Syndex and (...)

The Committee considered the following:
Internal market for electricity and gas - It endorsed a study of PSIRU, evaluating the internal market for electricity and gas; the EPSU position on the internal market; the EPSU Energy Conference 3-4 November and a public action on 1 December, the Council of Ministers for Energy. Steve Thomas of PSIRU presented the study.
Outsourcing - a thorough discussion took place on outsourcing and its implications and what can be done. Is a European approach (...)

(2 September 2005) The forum considered:
proposals to create regional markets as an intermediary step to move towards a single European market
security of supply directive
the competition inquiry
the evaluation of the state of play of the internal market.
Commissioner Piebalgs gave a presentation indicating that the Commission would continue to push competition. Representatives of the large industrial users indicated that the rise of electricity prices was hurting Europe’s industry. (...)

EN - FR - GE - SP - SWE - BG - CZ - HU - RO - SC
Draft agreement on outsourcing - Draft code of practice on outsourcing
Projet d’accord sur l’externalisation - Projet de code de bonne pratique sur l’externalisation
Entwurf einer Vereinbarung über die Auslagerung von Unternehmensleistungen (Outsourcing)-Entwurf eines Verhaltenskodex für die Auslagerung von Unternehmensteilen
Propuesta de acuerdo sobre externalización - Propuesta de código de prácticas de externalización
Utkast till avtal om utläggning av (...)

“The European Union has a choice between deciding for a fully competitive model or a return to the public service model”, argued Steve Thomas, PSIRU, in his contribution to the conference. “But I fear the result will be neither and we end up with a messy oligopoly.” Steve Thomas presented his critical analysis of the current situation of the internal market for electricity during a conference on 27 June 2005, in Brussels. His paper was debated by a panel composed of (...)

The EPSU public utilities committee dealing with energy, water, waste met 7 April in Luxembourg. It discussed the following issues amongst others:
Internal market for electricity and gas
A presentation was given by Steve Thomas of PSIRU (www.psiru.org) on a report he will prepare for EPSU. This report will ensure an input of EPSU into the evaluation of the Commission on the functioning of the internal market and as the basis for the proposals of EPSU to change the internal market. Members (...)

The unions organising workers in the energy, waste and water services considered and rejected the Services Directive at their Standing Committee meeting, 7 April 2005, Luxembourg. The unions point out the negative impact the Directive can have on quality of these essential public services and on workers. The Standing Committee adopted a specific position paper that details which services can be affected.
The EU Directive on Services - a wholesale attack on basic services in Europe, (...)

The 21st meeting of the EPSU Standing Committee on Public Utilities (energy, water, waste) took place 30 September 2004, Luxembourg. A large number of issues was discussed:
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells - EPSU will seek participation in the Initiative Group Education and Training of the European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Platform.
Nuclear Safety - a first exchange of views on the amended Commission package regarding nuclear safety, which includes decommissioning funds, radioactive waste (...)

Members thanked Giacomo Berni and Bertil Dahlsten for their work in developing the EPSU utilities sector and contributing to creating EPSU as the voice of Europe’s energy workers. The Standing Committee unanimously elected Sven Bergelin, Verdi, Germany as President and Jan Ruden, SEKO, Sweden, Reszo Gal, VdSzSz, Hungary and Claude Pommery, CGT-FNME, France as vice-presidents. The team is committed to giving a voice to Europe’s workers in energy, water and (...)

10 years of EPSU commissioned research from PSIRU: overview and selected works, 1994-2004
Edited by Jane Lethbridge and Robin de la Motte
Published for the 7th EPSU Congress - 14-17 June 2004
Introduction
EPSU and PSIRU
This booklet has been commissioned to provide EPSU affiliates with an account of some of the changes that have taken place in different sectors - water, waste management, energy, and healthcare, and in other critical policy areas for public sector workers over the last (...)

VII Congresso EPSU (Stoccolma, 14-17 giugno 2004) INTERVENTO DI GIACOMO BERNI presidente del Comitato permanente EPSU sulle “public utilities”
Cari delegati, cari amici, signori invitati,
è con piacere e con emozione che vi espongo questo resoconto dei miei quattro anni di lavoro nei servizi pubblici di interesse generale, energia, acqua e rifiuti.
In questi quattro anni abbiamo, senza alcun dubbio, affermato l’EPSU quale uno dei sindacati principali della Federazione europea. Abbiamo visto (...)

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