(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 discovered that these private companies would look for a profit but would not extend services, or at too high a price. Municipalisation and public ownership started, often even promoted by liberals and christen-democrats as they noticed this would be a cheaper option and protect citizens more.
PSI has since grown to cover a broad range of public services, not only in the utilities but also in health, in local government, public adminisistration and social services. Fire fighters, ambulance workers, prison guards, nurses, cleaners, civil servants are just some of the occupations represented among the 20 million public service workers organised in 651 trade unions in 154 countries.
To read more:
http://www.world-psi.org/TemplateEn.cfm?Section=Home&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=18272
- Log in to post comments
