EPSU Local and Regional Governement Conference (8-9 May)

EPSU conference on developments and trade union strategies regarding the (re)municipalisation / insourcing of local public services

Radisson Blu Hotel, Riga, Latvia, 8 and 9 May 2012, 9h00-17h30

We would like to invite you to participate in the next Spring Standing Committee meeting of Local and Regional Government, which this year is linked to our annual EPSU Conference dedicated to Local and Regional Government, and that will take place in Riga (Latvia) on 8 and 9 May 2012 (a draft programme is attached).

The EPSU Local and Regional Conference 2012 will bring together EPSU affiliates to exchange experience and to develop EPSU’s strategy on “best value” for local and regional government services. We will discuss under the working title.

Background
Local and Regional authorities across Europe are responsible for the delivery of a wide range of services to citizens, which include: public passenger transport, public utility services (water supply and waste water treatment, waste management), health and social services (health care, child care, care of elderly people), public employment services, education and vocational training, cultural services, etc. Depending on the country, the majority- if not most- of public services are provided locally.

Notwithstanding the current focus in many countries on austerity measures, on reducing public spending and the direct provision of public services, EPSU considers that the challenges presented by climate and demographic changes, will cause public authorities
to reassess and better evaluate the ways in which public services are provided. Current developments regarding the (re-)municipalisation/insourcing of public services can be expected to gain more attention. Quality of work and employment conditions are contributory factors in delivering quality services.

Objective
Against this background we will aim to
-Examining the rational and potential advantages and challenges of “in-house”/direct provision of local public services by providing political, economic, legal and scientific arguments;
-Clarifying the reasons why the bias exists against direct provision; and
-Developing strategies to correct this, drawing on examples of effective trade union/civil society initiatives to improve services and to keep them under direct and democratic control;
-Examining potential difficulties to be addressed in case of (re-) municipalisation/insourcing public services, including in terms of implications for employment conditions.
The conference will aim to strengthen the local and regional dimension of employment policy.

Annual Conference 8 May

part form

practical details

hotel booking form

Agenda annual conference

practical details RU

attendance list

- AKF Report

AKF Rapport

- AKF Report Appendix

AKF Rapport Appendix

- Laura Hartman report

Laura Hartman report SV

Laura Hartman report EN

- Re-municipalising municipal services in Europe (Dave Hall report)

David Hall presentation

DH Re-municipalization

Re-municipalizing services report by David Hall RU

re-municipalizing municipal services in Europe ES by DH

- Paul O'Brien presentation

O'Brien presentation

- IFC final report: closing the gap

IFC final report: closing the gap

- Insourcing reports

Insourcing report APSE

Insourcing report UNISON

- Dieter Reiter speech

Dieter Reiter speech

- Presentation by Roland Schäfer: (Re-)Municipalisation of public services, Experiences from Bergkamen

Remunicipalisation Schaefer presentation

- Presentation by Ole Helby Petersen, Danish Institute of Governmental Research (AKF): Effects of contracting out public sector tasks- - Results from a research-based review of Danish and international studies from 2000-2011