TUED Bulletin 81 — November 30, 2018 - COP24: TUED and Allies Will Bring a Strong Pro-Public Message to Katowice

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TUED Bulletin 81 — November 30, 2018 COP24: TUED and Allies Will Bring a Strong Pro-Public Message to Katowice Working with key allies in energy democracy advocacy, TUED has organized several meetings and strategy sessions during the upcoming “COP24” UN climate talks, which will take place December 3-14, 2018, in Katowice, Poland. These sessions will take place over several days, from Thursday, December 6th until Monday, December 10th. They have been co-organized with Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung-New York Office, the UK’s Public and Commercial Services Union, Friends of the Earth Europe, transform! europe, and Transnational Institute (TNI). The full schedule and registration details are available here. UK Labour Party Shadow Minister to Address Energy Democracy Gathering As part of this series of events, Rebecca  Long-Bailey, UK Labour Party Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will join us for a discussion on the Party’s climate and industrial policy. The Party is currently committed to bringing transmission and distribution networks back into public ownership, and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The Party is also committed to ensuring 60% of the UK’s energy comes from low carbon and renewable sources within 12 years of coming to power, and to working with energy unions and workers to deliver a ‘green jobs revolution’ at the heart of Labour’s industrial strategy. The meeting will take place Sunday evening, December 9th. Registration is required, and can be done here. TUED and co-organizers have planned the following four events over the four days; please see the online program for full details and any updates, as well as for logistics and registration information: Thursday, December 6 (afternoon) TUED Roundtable: Analysis, Allies and Action Time: 13:00-17:00 (with lunch at 13:00) Friday, December 7 (afternoon) Energy Democracy: Reclaiming Energy to Social Ownership and Full Democratic Control Time: 13:30-16:00 Sunday, December 9 (evening) Climate Change and the Energy Transition: Alternatives to Market Failures, and the Role of Public Ownership Time: 19:30-21:30 Special guest: Rebecca Long-Bailey, UK Labour Party Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Monday, December 10 (morning) Energy Democracy “Next Steps” Working Meeting Time: 09:30-11:30 Again, the full program is available here. For An Independent "Public Goods" Approach In preparation for these meetings, TUED has prepared a discussion paper, which provides an updated assessment of where the world stands with regard to tackling the climate and energy crisis, When “Green” Doesn’t “Grow”: Facing Up to the Failures of Profit-Driven Climate Policy. As the paper argues: "After more than a decade of speeches and assurances from global elites, the “green growth” approach to climate protection has failed to make any meaningful progress in addressing the climate crisis. Renewable energy is on an upward course, but overall energy consumption has continued to rise even faster; as a result, fossil fuel use continues to expand, emissions continue to rise, and nearly every major country is off-track to meet their Paris commitments. "It is time for us to collectively confront these stark realities and formulate a radical, independent, and internationalist trade union alternative based on a “public goods” approach. One way or another, rising emissions hurt everyone, and reducing emissions would benefit everyone. Considerations of private profit must be taken out of the equation. Emissions reductions must therefore be regarded as an absolute necessity and a collective human right. And since most emissions come from how we generate and use energy, energy systems must be radically reshaped by needs-based and pro-public policies. This means reclaiming energy to public and social ownership, and democratic control." The full paper is available here. As always, we welcome feedback.

About getting involved   For unions considering being formally involved in TUED, most of the information you need is here. There's also more information on why it's important for unions to support TUED here. Need more information about energy democracy?  Take a look at our working papers series (y también en español) Videos: Including This is What Energy Democracy Looks Like! in English, French and Spanish visit our website for more info

Decent Work’s 10th anniversary – JUST DO IT!

Read online: http://www.world-psi.org/en/decent-works-10th-anniversary-just-do-it

Last Sunday, 7 October 2018, we “celebrated” the 10th anniversary of the World Day for Decent Work (WDDW): 10 years that unions across the world have been fighting to place decent work at the centre of government policies, to bring back economic growth that puts people first – people over profit.

In the past 10 years, decent work has been echoed in major global instruments, such as the Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017), the Conference on Sustainable Development (2011) and during the UN General Assembly in September 2015 – decent work and the four pillars of the ILO Decent Work Agenda are central elements of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Goal 8 of the 2030 Agenda calls for the promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

But this decade also witnessed the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, one of the worst ever. World leaders responded with austerity recipes that led to unemployment, informal and precarious jobs, privatisation and deregulation, all of which increased the gap between the richest 1% and the rest of the planet. Decent work took a heavy blow.

Add to this the changes in the world of work brought about by internet technology, where apps drive the gig economy and digitalisation is causing turmoil in work relations, and the decent work agenda is further strained.

The emerging forms of capitalism which were born from the crisis confront us with new working relationships, such as the “Uberization” of work – which certainty is not the future of work we want.  In public services, we are seeing more proposals to privatise, and to financialise and securitise the assets of these services – basically turning them over to the financial sector’s speculations. Public coffers were emptied to prop up the financial institutions that were on the edge of failure, but workers and trade unions are fighting back.

In public services, PSI

·          helps unions understand and act on the connections between public finance and decent work: if the corporations and the world’s richest continue to evade taxes, governments will continue to be starved of funds, public services will be eroded, and working conditions will be the first victim – with our communities not far behind.

·          leads a push against the latest proposals to privatise, financialise and securitise public services, turning our public assets over to the financial institutions whose greed and recklessness caused the global financial crisis.

·          supports the growing wave of ‘remunicipalisations’, whereby privatised services are brought back under public ownership and management.

·          holds the line on attempts to eliminate the right to strike, denying workers the ability to withhold their labour – undermining one of the pillars of labour rights.

·          advocates for the rights of migrants and refugees to access basic public services and decent work.

·          organises young workers who are often the most affected by the lack of decent work opportunities.

In all of these struggles, PSI’s messages are clear: "Unions must be able to fight on many fronts and work with community allies to defend the decent work agenda, which forms the basis for just and equitable workplaces and strengthens families and communities", says Rosa Pavanelli, PSI's General Secretary.

From these rather limited but persistent successes we learned that the access to universal quality and gender responsive public services is essential for a better world.

We celebrate the 10th anniversary of the World Day for Decent Work with that in mind and call for all workers to join with unions to fight for Decent Work for All!

Public Services International (PSI) is a global trade union federation representing 20 million workers who deliver public services in more than 160 countries. PSI champions human rights, advocates for social justice and promotes universal access to quality public services. PSI complies with European Union privacy legislation. Please refer to our privacy policy or contact privacy@world-psi.org, if you want to view, update or delete any of your contact details. Subscribe to our mailing lists: http://www.world-psi.org/subscribe

Investing Superannuation (pension funds) for the Public Good - " Ideal investments for superannuation funds and borrowing vehicles for local and state governments to fund public assets without controversial privatisation."

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1E3_zIOXi-In1hncUS4Q5xw5F3mtZhQba 

The McKell Institute (based in Australia) has prepared a paper entitled 
Investing Superannuation for the Public Good: Creating new markets to benefit members and fund necessary investments by Professor Anthony Asher (Associate Professor at the UNSW Business School) and Esther Rajadurai of the McKell Institute.

The report was sought to look at the increasing role and opportunities that Superannuation Funds can play in the development of infrastructure , including Public Sector Owned and Operated.   

Report Conclusion - (extract from report ) 

 " Over the past few decades, there has been a significant shift in attitudes towards investments and superannuation. Ethical investing has become part of the mainstream and increasingly, members of super funds are determined to make sure that their super funds are invested in ethical, social and responsible companies and funds. Trustees have increasingly made more explicit commitments to monitoring the risks posed by ESG issues and making positive impacts in their choice of investments. These fulfill their fiduciary obligations to seek the best financial interests of their beneficiaries and are by no means restricted by the Sole Purpose Test.

Infrastructure is already beginning to take its place as a separate asset class, and trustees can use their significant assets more intentionally, in assisting governments fund public infrastructure.
This report suggests that Indexed Annuity Bonds can be adapted to provide lower risk inflation linkages for borrowers and longevity protection for investors. As such, they would be ideal investments for superannuation funds and borrowing vehicles for local and state governments to fund public assets without controversial privatisation.

The call is for trustees and governments to collaborate to develop a market in these instruments that benefits superannuation members and encourages the development of appropriate infrastructure.
Global capital is a dominant force in the world today and the capital invested and held by super funds can be used for the good of the nation. Through proper stewardship of the assets and government collaboration, super funds can be managed to create sustainable and long term value for their members and the broader community " 

The report was prepared due to sponsorship from UNIONS NSW, and is a project pursed by The Unions NSW Superannuation Committee , which includes Australian PSI Affiliates based in the State of New South Wales (NSW) 

The EU-Indonesia CEPA negotiations a report by SOMO - IGJ Indonesia for Global Justice - TNI The Transnational Institute

https://www.somo.nl/eu-indonesia-cepa-negotiations/?utm_source=SOMO+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d78d95c017-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_03_20&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ba1b8b451d-d78d95c017-229548005


The paper written by Bart-Jaap Verbeek, who according to SOMO , " is a specialist in the transnational governance of trade and investment and the impact on labour, environment, democracy, and human rights. In particular, and examines how trade and investment agreements enhance and protect transnational capital flows and what the implications are for equitable and sustainable economic development." 

In this paper he " explores the agenda driving the negotiations for an Indonesia-Europe Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in relation to investment and discusses the merits of alternative investment protection frameworks as proposed by Indonesia and other countries in relation to promoting more equitable and sustainable development."

The paper includes references on Public Services Provision , Human Rights and more . It is an excellent read and of benefit to those concerned on the international trade debate

UN PUBLIC SERVICES AWARDS: PARIS WATER WIN HIGHLIGHTS BENEFITS OF REMUNICIPALISATION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anBFcvkeehA  " This video tells a great story on the importance of not just public owned and operated water services, but also on the importance of public sector workers in bringing about the best outcomes .. its a great story and one to be shared " - Greg Mclean 

Seven years ago the City of Paris brought their water supply back into public hands. Today, they received one of the highest international public service awards at a special UN ceremony at The Hague.

The award comes on the back of a wave of substantive research on the failures of privatisation and the benefits of public provision.

Just hours before the ceremony, Transnational Institute, PSI and a wide coalition of partners released a new comprehensive publication - Reclaiming Public Services - which includes the Eau de Paris remunicipalisation as a key case study for how local communities can fight to win back public goods.

(Story from PSI http://www.world-psi.org/en/un-public-services-awards-paris-water-win-highlights-benefits-remunicipalisation ) 

Jeremy Corbyn at UNISON conference succinctly explains the role of public service workers in keeping our communities safe!

-3:54

Jeremy Corbyn has a message for UNISON members and all public service workers - from those working in the emergency services to those caring every day for our friends, neighbours and families. UNISON and other unions Marched on Saturday 1 July to call for better funding for our vital public services: www.unison.org.uk/endausterity

https://www.facebook.com/PSIglobalunion/

Want to fund better public services? End corporate tax dodging - from PSI we site

http://www.world-psi.org/en/23-june-want-fund-better-public-services-end-corporate-tax-dodging-0

For decades we’ve been told that there simply isn’t enough money available to properly fund our public services. It is up to us to challenge this.

* This article was originally published in The Guardian

Ending corporate tax dodging to fund public services is both necessary and popular. Global elites benefit from the myth that we cannot afford quality public services. They put great effort into keeping the truth about tax avoidance and evasion away from the public. It is up to us to challenge this.

That is why for the UN’s public service day on 23 June, Public Services International, our union affiliates, the Global Alliance for Tax Justice and civil society allies are highlighting the urgent need to stop corporate tax dodging to fund public services.

Around the world , we are calling for public country-by-country reporting to increase tax transparency, protection for whistleblowers who expose abuses, the establishment of a UN global tax body to set global tax standards and monitor shady capital flows and a minimum corporate tax rate to stop the race to the bottom.

In the UK, for decades, we’ve been told that there simply isn’t enough money available to properly fund our public services. We’ve seen privatisation, cuts to education, health and public housing, the introduction of user pays and then rising service charges. And we’ve seen wage freezes for essential frontline staff.

But recently we’ve also seen a wave of other stories – the LuxLeaks, the HSBC files, the Panama Papers - which paint a very different picture about this supposed money drought.

Estimates (pdf) put the total amount in offshore tax havens at over $20tn (£15.8tn). Economist Jeffrey Sachs calculated the total cost of ending extreme poverty worldwide would be a fraction of this amount – around $3.5tn (£2.8tn).

The clumsy attempt by UK prime ministerTheresa May to argue that there is no magic money tree illustrated how confident the elites are that this paradox will go unchallenged.

Until recently even progressive political leaders internalised the thinking that tax reform to fund public services is economically and politically untenable.

But people are waking up to the massive fraud perpetrated against them. Like the nurse who confronted May. But it could have been a firefighter asking about the 10,000 job cuts in the fire brigade. Or a pensioner. Or a public housing tenant.

They see that corporate profits have soared since governments bailed out the banks – yet we still aren’t properly funding our schools, health, housing or infrastructure. Sometimes with tragic and disastrous consequences.

It is difficult to believe that our leaders do not understand the problem. More likely is that they do not want to act.

Simply exposing those who benefit from these obscenities has already fomented this sort of public anger: we must do more of it.

The recent leaks expose the connections between the wealthy, politicians at the highest levels and global tax avoidance. Only one leak, from one company in Panama, implicated five serving heads of state, two former heads of state, four former prime ministers and 61 family members and associates of prime ministers, kings and presidents including those of China, UK, Australia, Malaysia and Mexico – among them David Cameron’s father. Amber Rudd was later named in the Bahamas leaks.

The surge in support for Labour after it placed tax reform at the centre of its manifesto, or Bernie Sanders in the US, shows these policies are not just essential; they are also politically popular.

We need to support politicians and parties who take a stand on tax dodging. Because if we cannot provide bold alternatives to address inequality, and ensure universal access to public services, we risk ceding ground to the false promises and fear mongering of the far right.

Ensuring the very rich and global corporations pay their fair share has always been the best way to fund quality public services. But our politicians need to understand that it might just get them elected too.

Rosa Pavanelli is general secretary of Public Services International and chair of the Council of Global Unions.

Liveable communities need functional community infrastructure - Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)

Australia's peak industry group , which represents around 537 Local Government bodies across the Australia , the ALGA has this week renewed its call for a Commonwealth-funded program to bring community infrastructure back up to scratch and promote economic development opportunities.

Council-owned and -managed community infrastructure includes facilities such as public pools, libraries, children’s playgrounds, sports fields, youth drop-in centres, bike paths, arts centres and parks. 

ALGA proposed that a Local Government Community Infrastructure Program of $300 million per annum for four years would ensure communities' most important infrastructure can continue to underpin community wellbeing and community resilience, and stimulate local economic opportunities by creating 3,700 jobs in Australian communities particularly where they are needed most - in rural and regional Australia.

ALGA President, Mayor David O'Loughlin said that well-located, well-designed and properly-maintained community infrastructure enhances the quality of life and enriches the experience of residents every day, but that a significant proportion of Australia's local community infrastructure is currently at risk of disrepair.

"The 2015 National State of the Assets: Roads and Community Infrastructure Report estimated that 11 per cent - or around $27 billion - of community infrastructure is in poor or very poor condition and in need of replacement, maintenance or upgrades, with some infrastructure being physically unsound or beyond rehabilitation," he said.

"Councils do not have the financial resources to bring this amount of community infrastructure up to a reasonable condition on their own, particularly as they are facing the ongoing challenge of a decades-long backlog and underspend on community infrastructure.

"A partnership with the Commonwealth to co-invest in these essential community facilities would greatly assist local communities to attract and retain key workers, build community and economic capacity, and ensure fairness for all communities."

Source ALGA media 

More information can be located at http://alga.asn.au/?ID=15106

ILO - two key items on ' workers and climate change "

Last week saw the release, at the United Nations International Labour Organisation, ( ILO ) , of two key pieces of work around climate change, jobs and workers. The two key pieces were presented by - 

Guy Ryder the Secretary General of the ILO titled "Work in a changing climate: The Green Initiative", located at 
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_554315.pdf
The Secretary Generals Report comes in 4 parts -  
The ILO mandate: Decent work and climate change
Challenges and opportunities
The ILO response: The Green Centenary Initiative
The road ahead

Luc Cortebeek's (chairman of the Workers' Group in the ILO) 
http://www.ilo.org/actrav/media-center/speeches/WCMS_557024/lang--en/index.htm 
Who supports the report by the Secretary General and points out that 
" The international trade union movement’s engagement on climate change is based on our realisation that millions of jobs and lives are at risk if we do not combat climate change."

Both reports are excellent documents , and provide solid arguments to be used by Unions , progressive Governments and more

Interesting article on Profitability of Government Trading Enterprises and General Government Organisations - in Public Sector Hands of Course

http://gmpsiaprec.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/interesting-article-on-profitability-of.html

We often get told that Government Trading Enterprises and General Government Organisations are not profitable and the business community can do it better.   
Many of us that have argued the exact opposite of this and have spoken out about the efficiency of Government managed organisations (that is non privatised). Need to look at recent report published by not a Union, nor a Government Organisation but by a organisation that provides independent and accurate research "IBISWorld" .

The report covers Government Trading Enterprises and General Government Organisations operating across Australia, a country the size of main land USA or Europe , with State Government  jurisdictions, many hundreds of Local Councils (560 of them) - and a Member Country of the OECD - So provides, some good arguments and country comparisons .   

A recent report by IBIS World at https://www.ibisworld.com.au/media/2017/05/12/the-nations-profitability-challenge/  shows the position of the profitability of "Government Trading Enterprises and General Government Organisations" and to my mind shows that Government run services/businesses and organisations are just as profitable if not more profitable than many private sector business or services.

The IBIS report uses the measurement of the " the return on shareholder funds after tax (ROSF)  ", with surprising results. The list includes the types of assets the private sector and Conservative Governments are pushing for privatisation, wonder why ?? 

Read the full article and see if you agree with the points and what could well be augured, shows the way they are run and managed, including well Unionised , collective bargaining, quality services to the community, are well run and financially more than just efficient ... ...there are some good points in arguing the cause, that privatisation is necessary !! 

The full article is published at https://www.ibisworld.com.au/media/2017/05/12/the-nations-profitability-challenge/



Above chart is from IBIS https://www.ibisworld.com.au/media/2017/05/12/the-nations-profitability-challenge/

IBISWorld web site advises it provides "reliable resource for busy journalists on tight deadlines, that provides accurate, independent research". https://www.ibisworld.com.au/media/why-ibisworld/