Public services and migrants - Final project conference

(7 September 2012) The next meeting of the Euromed migration Project Public services meeting migrants will take place on 18-19 September 2012 in Marseilles, France.

This is the final stage of the EU-funded project submitted by our French colleagues from CFDT Interco following on from the launch of the Euromed migration network in 2010 an the initiative of CGIL-FP, with the support of PSI and EPSU .

The objectives of the project are to inform affiliates on the EU legal framework on migration and integration, fundamental human rights of migrant workers, exchange information on the quality of public services dealing with the reception, integration and healthcare of migrant workers and the quality of working conditions in those services.

Previous meetings and research found that these public services, that play a key role in welcoming newcomers, ensuring equal treatment with the rest of the population and preventing xenophobia and racism often suffer from understaffing, training deficit, poor image, long waiting time, lack of multicultural and multilingual support staff, high levels of stress.
The austerity measures make the situation worse with fewer staff and reduced resources to respond to the diversity of needs of service users, and restrictions on the right to access health care.

In Marseilles, participants will discuss the findings of the final research and firm up a common trade union culture to deal with these problems and key demands for a better public service welcoming newcomers, including a possible agenda with employers in healthcare, central government and local and regional government.

The research, by independent researcher Raffaella Greco, is based on 100s of interviews of public service employees from France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain. It also includes the views of Romanian health care staff working abroad.

The conclusions will be further discussed in a panel with representatives of central government administrations, health care, and EU institutions.
Whilst the meeting concerns primarily Mediterranean affiliates of EPSU , all affiliates from EPSU and PSI are welcome to attend.

The agenda, in Fr and EN, and detailed programme of the project in Fr are available below.

Other information available @ www.migration-euromed.eu