The global union
federation Public Services International held its 12th Asia Pacific Regional
Conference (APRECON) in Sydney, Australia from 17-21 October 2011. Over 200
delegates from 22 countries met to discuss public service and trade union rights
issues under the banner theme “People First—Quality Public Services Are Key.”
Workshops covered a wide
range of topics including the impact of the economic crisis on women, how
increasing levels of precarious work are linked to the privatisation of public
services, the role of public services in disaster preparedness and recovery in
Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and how to advance human and trade union
rights in countries including Fiji, Korea, and Indonesia.
Delegates contributed to
a five year action plan for PSI in the Asia Pacific region focused on improving
public service funding through fair taxation - including a financial
transactions tax, providing decent stable jobs instead of low-paid precarious
contracts, reversing privatisation trends by promoting the economic and social
value of public services, and defending human and trade union rights.
“We believe that quality public
services provide the foundation for the democratic, social and economic
development of nations, the well-being of citizens, and safeguarding the
environment,” said PSI General Secretary Peter Waldorff. “Quality public
services are essential to achieving fairness, equality and opportunity for
women, in particular.”
Discussion at the
conference highlighted that most nations would have no deficits – and no need
to cut services to people – if irresponsible corporations and the super-rich
were held accountable and paid their fair share of taxes. Further, cuts in
public services mean less opportunity for working people and their families.
And when public services are privatised, studies show that the transfer of
wealth from citizens to private corporations results in loss of democratic
accountability and transparency, lower quality, and reduced access to services.
"We live in truly challenging and shameful times.
Years of corporate-led globalization, unbridled capitalism, liberalization, and
privatization have begot crises upon crises, with the most vulnerable and
marginalized among us bearing much of the burden. Our current development
models have only led to further exclusion, poverty, forced migration,
precarious work, and climate change. We need a shift in paradigm. We need
alternatives. We need to break this cycle of injustice and madness. People must
come first—not profit, not corporations. And in this struggle towards a better
world, public sector trade unions play a key role," said Annie Geron, PSLINK
General Secretary and Asia Pacific Regional Executive Co-chair.
"What we must do now is to create a new paradigm.
Investing in public services should be the priority over investing in a casino
economy. The Great East Japan Earthquake has made us recognize the importance
of public services at the time of disasters," said Hideaki Tokunaga,
JICHIRO President and APREC Co-chair.
PSI affiliate members are urged to sign on to the Quality Public Services
Charter and to add their local events and actions to the Quality Public Services—Action Now! campaign map at www.QPSActionNow.org
Media advice PSI
