LRG Network Series 2021

​Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 8:00 AM
to Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 5:30 PM

LRG Network Series 2021

​Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 8:00 AM
to Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 5:30 PM
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
OPENING SESSION - GLOBAL OVERVIEW
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT

This session will draw a global overview of the Local and Regional Government (LRG) sector worldwide and of PSI global and regional LRG sectoral work since 2016. PSI affiliates’ representatives and Regions will have an opportunity to highlight the main LRG sector developments, good practices, achievements, and challenges of the past years, while looking at the future proposing policy priorities, new directions, and next steps for PSI LRG work.

Global and regional overviews of PSI’s LRG sector (13:00-14:15 CEST)

  • Welcome and opening - Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary
  • Global overview of PSI LRG work 2016-2021 - Daria Cibrario, PSI LRG Officer
  • Regional overviews
    • Africa and Arab Countries
    • Asia-Pacific
    • Europe
    • Interamerica

Break and live consultation 

Taking stock to build the future: common challenges, and priorities (14:30-15:45 CEST)

  • Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

Conclusions and next steps


This session is reserved for representatives of PSI affiliated unions only. Please contact lrg-municipal@world-psi.org if you would like to attend and have not received an invitation.

Time: 1pm - 4pm CET. Check your local time here.


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Thursday, September 30, 2021
THEMATIC SESSION #1 - PUBLIC FINANCING | DIGITALISATION
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT

Public financing for quality local public services 

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In 2021, LRGs worldwide will have lost on average of between 15-25 percent in revenues. Left unaddressed, this crisis can trigger cuts and job losses in vital local public services at a time when they are most needed, exacerbating inequalities and compromising recovery.

This session will explore the shared challenges, good practices and opportunities for LRGs to finance universal quality local public services for all and will discuss what LRG workers and their unions can do about it. It will look at what options are available to ensure local public services are sustainably funded with public resources and kept under public ownership/control. Finally, it will highlight the connection between adequately funded local public services, decent employment conditions for LRG workers, and socio-economic inclusion in cities and territories.

Welcome and opening contributions:

  • Robert Ramsay, CUPE, Canada
  • Jon Richards, UNISON, United Kingdom
  • Mathilde Penard, UCLG Local Finance, United Cities and Local Governments

Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

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The digitalisation of LRG services and workplaces

The introduction of digital technologies in local public services has been fast forwarded by the Covid pandemic. It has cast a major impact on public service delivery, quality, and access for users. It has also transformed LRG jobs and posed new, previously unexplored challenges on LRG workers’ conditions.

This session will look at what LRG unions are already doing to confront these challenges and at what more is needed to drive forms of public service digitalisation that are publicly led and controlled in the common interest, while ensuring good LRG workers’ conditions and inclusive quality services.

Welcome and opening contributions/closing remarks:

  • Christina J. Colclough, Consultant PSI “Our Digital Future” Project
  • Daniel Bertossa, PSI

Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

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Conclusions and action points


Register here

Time: 1pm - 4pm CET. Check your local time here.

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Friday, October 15, 2021
THEMATIC SESSION #2 - REMUNICIPALISATION | PUBLIC SERVICES 2.0
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT

Remunicipalisation: Reclaiming local public services for all 

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The growing trend of returning privatised services under public ownership and control is primarily taking place at a municipal level. All over the world, citizens, public authorities and labour unions have been mobilising to bring vital services and infrastructures back into public hands. LRG workers and unions play a critical role in these processes. The Covid crisis has emboldened collective demands for public investment in local public services and remunicipalisation.

Welcome and opening contributions:

  • Andrew Cumbers, University of Glasgow, UK
  • Daniel Papps, United Services Union (USU), Australia
  • Anand Jammu, Nagpur Municipal Corporation Employees Union (NMCE), India
  • Kevin Donoghue, FORSA, Ireland
  • Nicoletta Grieco, FP CGIL, Italy

Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

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Public Services 2.0: Democratic governance and participation in local public services

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Remunicipalisation provides an opportunity to build a new generation of local quality public services that are innovative, participatory, accountable, democratic, and work for people and their communities. This vision must fully include workers and their trade unions. It provides a unique space to pioneer new, progressive staff management and worker participation practices while creating quality employment in local communities, all while delivering universal access to quality public services.

Welcome and opening contributions:

  • Edurne Bagué, Universitat de Girona, Spain
  • Romaric Montbobier, CGT SP, Eau de Paris, France

Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

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Conclusions and action points


REGISTER HERE

Friday 15 October: 1pm - 4pm CET. Check your local time here.
Interpretation into English - French - Spanish

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Thursday, October 28, 2021
THEMATIC SESSION #3 - TRADE UNION RIGHTS | GENDER & INTERSECTIONALITY
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT

Trade union rights, employment conditions and labour relations in the LRG Sector

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LRG workers deliver vital public services that are the glue of local communities and societies and cornerstones of inclusive socio-economic development. They also are the first level of government citizens turn to when emergencies hit and represent the bulk of public sector employees worldwide. Yet their conditions are often precarious, with poverty wages, lack of training and safety equipment, while attacks on trade union rights of LRG workers are a daily reality in many countries. To deliver quality local public services to all and serve communities at their best, LRG workers must have decent working conditions and respect for trade union rights.

Welcome and opening contributions:

  • Carlos Carrion-Crespo, International Labour Organization (ILO)
  • Kudakwashe Munengiwa, Zimbabwe Urban Councils Workers Union (ZUCWU)

Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

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Gender and intersectionality in LRG services and workplaces

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Women represent the largest share of workers in many LRG professions (e. g. community health services, child and elderly care, etc.). Together with other vulnerable categories (e.g. disabled, LGBTI, migrant and refugee workers, etc.) they face multiple layers of discrimination and bear the brunt of the precariousness and poor working conditions of many LRG jobs. This section will look at LRG union policies and good practices to ensure human and labour rights, decent working conditions and inclusion for all LRG workers.

Welcome and opening contributions:

  • Veronica Montúfar, PSI
  • Maria José Lacoste, CTM, Argentina
  • Mitchell Coe, UNISON, UK
  • Gina McKay, CUPE, Canada

Conclusions and action points

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REGISTER HERE

Thursday 28 October 2021
Time: 1pm - 4pm CET. Check your local time here.

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Thursday, November 18, 2021
THEMATIC SESSION #4 - CARE | CLIMATE & EMERGENCIES
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM EST

LRG and the territorial dimension of care

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Social care, whether public or private, is often subsidised, regulated and provided through at a local and regional government level. It is often delivered via community health centres and homes. In some countries, care remains a highly feminized, undervalued, precarious and informal profession, even when delivered within a LRG framework. Covid has unveiled the deep injustice and major shortcomings embedded in the current social organisation of care. This session will discuss issues, good practices and proposals for change. It will be co-designed with PSI’s Health and Social Services and Gender Equality staff.

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LRG and the territorial dimension of climate, public emergencies and environmental protection

Cities and regions are at the forefront of the climate crisis, which is causing more frequent and severe disasters, requiring stronger public emergency response mechanisms. LRGs have the potential to cut up to one-third of global greenhouse gases and many are implementing climate innovation. They are also key to protect public health, the environment, green spaces and natural resources. LRG workers such as first responders, firefighters, waste workers, rangers and urban planners and their unions must have decent working conditions and respect for trade union rights to enable them to fully engage in all the challenges ahead, both in the risks they assume in their work and the skills and dedication they bring to bear.

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Conclusions and action points


Register here

Time: 1pm - 4pm CET. Check your local time here.

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Friday, December 3, 2021
CLOSING SESSION - BUILDING THE FUTURE
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM EST

Building the future of local public services

REGISTER HERE

This session will take stock, draw conclusions from the whole LRG Series 2021. It will present emerged priorities to define PSI’s LRG unions coordinated policies and actions.

Welcome and opening contributions:

  • David Hall, Visiting Professor at PSIRU, University of Greenwich
  • LRG union representatives (tbd)

Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

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 An Action Programme for PSI’s LRG Network: towards the PSI Congress

This session will present a Draft Action Plan for the PSI LRG Network drafted based on the discussions and consultations held during the LRGNext2021 Series. The Plan will represent a roadmap for PSI’s LRG unions action and for the work of the PSI Regions and Sub-Regions in the LRG sector and will contribute to inform PSI’s Programme of Action 2022-2027. The Draft Plan will stay open for PSI LRG affiliates’ consultation until the end of February 2022.

Opening contributions

  • David McDonald, Director MSP, Queen’s University
  • Daria Cibrario, PSI

Plenary discussion & affiliate consultation

Conclusions and action points

  • Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary

This session is reserved for representatives of PSI affiliated unions only. Please contact lrg-municipal@world-psi.org if you would like to attend and have not received an invitation.

Time: 1pm - 4pm CET. Check your local time here.

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Thursday, May 12, 2022
WG1: PUBLIC FUNDING FOR LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES #1
2:00 AM - 3:00 AM EDT

The following two workshops will look at two levers of LRG public funding and at how these can be used by LRG unions: (1) public procurement; and (2) municipal & regional public banks.

12 May 2022 – Local Public Service Funding (#1) (time tbc)
28 September 2022 – Local Public Service Funding (#2) (time tbc)

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Monday, June 13, 2022
WG2: REMUNICIPALISATION/IN-SOURCING: TRADE UNION STRATEGIES
6:15 PM - 5:45 PM EDT - Event Day-1
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