Local and Regional Government
Local services are, by definition, at the front line of public services. Users of these services come into direct contact with the men and women that provide them, be they fire-fighters, culture workers, librarians, archivists, municipal police, social services workers, teachers, cleaners, waste collectors, community liaison personnel or local administrators. EPSU represents local and regional government workers across Europe and is committed to ensuring high quality and efficient public services supported by a well-trained and skilled work force and decent working conditions.
Austerity measures and remunicipalisation, digitalisation of local services, the impact of trade agreements on local services, and ensuring socially responsible procurement are key policy challenges to this sector addressed in the frame of EPSU's Standing Committee Local and Regional Government.
EPSU is also the recognised European social partner organisation for workers in local and regional government throughout the European Union and covers approximately 17 million workers.
Eva-Lotta Nilsson (Vision, Sweden) is the President of the EPSU Standing Committee for Local and Regional Government (LRG). Paola Panzeri is the contact person in EPSU (Policy Staff – Local and Regional Government, Gender Equality, Firefighters) for the sector.
View contactsFirefighters demand action as heatwaves and droughts threaten to overwhelm Europe’s fire services
In the midst of a heatwave and droughts across Europe, firefighters from fifteen countries representing unions affiliated to the European Public Service Unions (EPSU) came together in Stockholm.
Multi-sectoral project on “the role of social partners in preventing third-party violence and harassment at work"
HOSPEEM, EPSU, CEMR, CESI as co-applicants and ETF, ETNO, ETUCE, EUPAE, UITP as associated organisations have been provided with financial support from the European Commission for a joint project in the field of social dialogue: “The role of social partners in preventing third-party violence and harassment at work” in the years 2021 and 2023 (VS/2021/0046).
Digitalisation: more flexibility for some but less autonomy for others
Digitalisation can deliver better work-life balance but the risks of greater control and monitoring of workers are significant. This is one of the key conclusions of a two-year research project on digitalisation in the public services that concluded with a conference in Brussels on 25 September.
Will EU’s new fiscal rules hinder urgent action on staffing crises?
Public service federation EPSU is concerned that the proposed reform of the European Union’s fiscal rules, published yesterday, might undermine national action to address the widespread staffing shortages across a broad range of public services in Europe – in health and social care, the justice system, childcare, tax administrations, utilities and more.
Successful pan-European Conference of Local and Regional Government
The EPSU LRG European Conference brought together over 40 delegates and speakers from across Europe to discuss remunicipalisation of public services, focusing on the climate crisis, gender equality and democratic ownership.