This meeting will focus on developing strategies to address the many challenges culture, media and education media workers face, including the impacts of the pandemic and the global economic crisis. We will also discuss strengthening our collaboration with Education International and UNESCO.

Interpretation : English, français español

Introduction

The education sector has faced unprecedented challenges over the last five years, which has been exacerbated by the outbreak of Covid-19. This has led to the closure of many schools and institutions. The closure of education and cultural institutions undermined educational outcomes and exposed precarious work in large parts of the sector. Pressure to quickly adopt virtual learning often normalised teleworking processes without the usual assessments and the return to work presented serious problems for disease control in schools. Both added to stress for workers in the sector.

The Education Support and Cultural Workers (ESCW) sector continues to be a prime target for privatisation, exacerbated by the ongoing global staffing shortages. When these services come under the control of corporations, it threatens our ability to provide quality universal public education, advance culture, provide independent critical curriculum, attract and retain qualified and experienced staff, and ultimately undermines democracy. Currently, many countries are cutting down on funding allocated to the education sector, including the UK. This is due to Covid-19, which has left many economies in decline. This has continued to exacerbate job cuts, especially for education support and cultural workers. In order to address the challenges faced by education support and cultural workers, the ESCW Network was formed at the 2012 PSI Congress in Durban with the following aims:

1. Provide assistance to PSI affiliates who represent education support workers in organising the sector and building collective bargaining capacity to effectively negotiate;
2. Defend and advocate for affiliates who represent ESCW, to exercise their trade union rights to obtain decent work and living wages;
   Counter political attacks on public sector employees and their unions.
3. Since the last Congress held in 2017, the ESCW Network has adopted a manifesto for Education Support Workers, and another for Cultural Workers, calling for greater focus on the plight of cultural workers devastated by the ravages of the pandemic.

With economies experiencing some of the worst inflation rates in recent history, government cuts towards a number of public sector budgets, austerity measures and increased debt burden for developing countries are leading a push towards privatisation of some services in the education and cultural sector. There is an urgent need for the education support and cultural workers and media unions to discuss and come up with concrete strategies on how to campaign and address some of the critical challenges facing the sector and its workers, agree on how to consolidate collaboration with various organisations in the sector to address challenges and opportunities for ESCW, and how to make the network stronger to be able to respond to threats facing its workers while ensuring visibility in articulating sector issues in line with the PSI Programme of Action.

Agenda

09:00- 09:20 - Opening Remarks

• Everline Aketch
• Marcelo Di Stefano
• Daniel Bertossa
• Rosa Pavanelli

09:20- 09:40 - Challenges Faced by Educational Support and Cultural Workers: Impact of Covid-19 and Global Economic Crisis

• A brief submission by each of the PSI regions.

09:40- 10:10 - Staff Shortages, Privatisation and the Future of the Education Support and Cultural Workers

• (AFT (C), NASU (C), PCS (C) and AFSCME (YIN)

10:10- 10:30 - Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining: How To Leverage For Better Working Conditions

• (UNISON (C) /APUBA-Marcelo Di Stefano/CUPE(TBC))

10:30- 10:45 - Collaboration and Influencing Policies on Education Support and Cultural Workers: ILO Standard on Education Support Workers, Engagement with UNESCO, EI etc.

• (Zita/PCS; UNISON/ Marcelo (C).

10:45- 11:15 - Making the ESCW Network Stronger and More Visible: Evaluation of the Network’s Performance and Way Forward

• Marcelo (C), NASU (C), CUPE(TBC).

11:15- 11:35 - Resources Mobilisation for the Network

• Chair: Patricia Keefer

11:35- 11:50 - Sub-regional/Regional Chapters of ESCW Networks for Effective Communication and Coordination

11:50- 12 :00 - Closure

• (Co-Chairs)/Everline

Health and care workers worldwide have been fighting for decent work, better pay, and fully funded quality services. This meeting will bring together affiliates representing health, care and social services workers. The objective is to reinforce the linkages between PSI and our affiliates' work on key issues over the last six years and into the future, such as fighting austerity, protecting services, ensuring safe staffing and workplace safety and securing decent work for all.

Interpretation in : English, français español 日本語 portugu<s اللغة العربية नेपाली 한국어

The meeting will cover the following:

People before Profit: Unions Fighting Austerity and Protecting Health and Care Services
covering: anti-privatisation/commercialisation of services; & campaigns for public ownership and provision.

Safe Staffing Saves Lives: Unions Securing Decent Work for All Health and Care Workers 
(covering: campaigns for decent work in both health and care).

Workplace Safety and Security
The main focus here is on Mental Health as a key component of workplace health and safety. There will be a presentation of the PSIRU Mental Health report by Dr Ruth Ballardie from PSIRU/Greenwich Uni and two affiliates from the five case studies as responders.

Union interventions in government policy process and for improved funding
(covering successful interventions for funding and for progressive changes to legislation).

The second block of the meeting will cover the future of PSI’s work in the health and care sector will be presented by Huma Haq: Social Care Officer and Baba Aye, Health and Social Services Officer.

The Fight for Tax Justice: Public service unions leading the way 

PSI is leading the global fight for Tax Justice - demanding taxation of soaring corporate profits and immoral wealth accumulation to fund universal quality public services, fight inequality and the response to the climate crisis. Join us to learn how unions integrate tax justice into their daily advocacy work. We will finish with a briefing on our latest success – the commencement of UN negotiations on an inclusive global tax governance framework – to discuss why this matters for workers and how unions can support this struggle in the coming months and years.

Interpretation: English français español 日本語

Background

PSI and our affiliates are leading the global fight for Tax Justice - demanding soaring corporate profits and immoral wealth accumulation be taxed to fund universal quality public services (QPS), fight inequality, support sustainable development, and fund the response to the climate crisis. Over recent years we have had several major wins that have real impacts for workers and provision of QPS such as on corporate transparency, country by country reporting, exchange of tax information, global minimum taxation, and using tax tools to support campaigns for workers’ rights.

Perhaps most importantly we have worked with our private sector comrades, users of public services and civil society to change the global tax debate and show how the enormous hidden wealth can be used to fund QPS, support better wages and conditions for workers, and create a more democratic and inclusive economy that works for all. In doing so we have raised awareness of the role of corporations and tax havens in hiding, defending and maintaining the broken global tax and finance system that they use to entrench their economic and political power, and we have exposed the inbuilt biases in the global economy that favour capital exporting countries – predominantly in the global north.

Public service unions have been central to building momentum for change in the context of soaring corporate profits, attacks on public services and social protections, rising inequality and the COVID, energy, cost of living and climate crises. But there is more to be done!

Join us to learn how busy unions have integrated tax into their daily union work and learn from union success stories. We will hear how comrades have mobilised in their respective fields of influence. The second part of the workshop will provide a briefing on our latest success - the commencement of UN negotiations on an inclusive global tax governance framework. We will discuss why this matters for workers and how tax havens, corporations and the very wealthy are fighting to weaken progress at the UN. We will discuss what unions can do in coming months and years to ensure the emerging new governance structures are inclusive and actually enables progress on progressive taxation and issues that matter to workers.

Agenda

12:30 - 12:40 - Welcome and Introduction

• Daniel Bertossa, PSI Assistant General Secretary
• Séverine Picard, Unions for Tax Justic Network

12:40 - 13:10 - Part 1: Unions and Tax Justice – A Fight at all Levels

•  Who pays taxes? How unions mobilise against the unfair share of tax burden
  Speaker: Davji Atellah, Kenya
• Are we all united? Internal discussions for a stronger labour position
  Speaker: Simon Vinge, Sweden
• The harm of beggar-thy-neighbour policies. Unions’ advocacy for more and better regional tax cooperation
  Speaker: Yaneth Liliana Hernandez, Sinedian, Colombia
• Union Corporate Tax campaigns – using tax and transparency issues in your daily union work to win workplace issues for your members
  Speaker Jason Ward. CICTAR

13:10- 13 :30 - Discussion

13:30-13:50 - Part 2: Global Tax Standards – Is the Sky Clearing Up?

• Towards an effective and inclusive tax governance at the UN – what unions should expect
  Michael LENNARD, Financing for Development Office, United Nations (remote intervention)
• Magdalena SEPULVEDA, ICRICT
  

13:50-14:10 - Q&A
What unions can do – action for the future

14:10-14:30 - Conclusions

The LRG workers’ network is a membership-driven networking and communication platform for all affiliates representing LRG/Municipal workers. We provide space for policy debate; facilitate cooperation, peer-learning, joint initiatives and working groups on specific objectives among LRG unions; offer a united sectoral interface with LRG employer counterparts; and identify, track, research and map global trends and international actors beyond national and region borders. The meeting will introduce our LRG charter, review our achievements since the last Congress, and propose activities and initiatives to advance our action plan.

Interpretation: English français español Svenska 日本語  Deutsch  português 한국어

Background

The Local and Regional Government (LRG) Global Workers’ Network (the “Global LRG Network”) is PSI’s sectoral cross-regional policy forum for all PSI affiliates representing LRG/Municipal workers. The LRG Network was established by its Charter in 2016 in Brussels, in compliance with Resolution n. 34 of PSI’s 2012 Durban Congress.

The Global LRG Network principally aims to: (1) provide a global space for policy debate; (2) provide a membership-driven communication platform; (3) to facilitate cooperation, peer-learning, joint initiatives and working groups on specific objectives among LRG unions; (4) provide a united sectoral interface with LRG employer counterparts; (5) identify, track, research and map global trends and international actors beyond national and region borders.

As a result of PSI’s LRGNext2021 Consultations Series and as part of the LRG Sector Action Plan adopted by the LRG Network in April 2022, PSI holds a Global LRG Network session online twice a year to ensure regular exchanges for PSI LRG affiliates as a global union community, in a view to advance our joint work and tackle our shared priorities. The Network informs PSI on LRG sector policy work and through its Sectoral Action Plan has contributed to the PSI Programme of Action that will be adopted at the 31st PSI World Congress. LRG affiliates and PSI Regions and Subregions are invited to highlight the current challenges, union actions and activities in the LRG sector in their communities, countries, regions and subregions.

Agenda

14:00 - 14:20 Welcome, Agenda and Introduction to the PSI Global LRG Network (20’)
PSI will introduce the Global LRG Network and its Charter followed by a plenary Q & A session.

• Daria Cibrario, LRG Officer, PSI - Followed by Plenary Q&A.

Reference documents for this session:

• PSI Global LRG Network Charter (available in AR, EN, FR, ES, PT,SV, DE, JA, KO, Bangla, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Tamil, Urdu)

14:20 – 15:10 Part §1. Taking stock: LRG Work Activity Report 2017-2023 (50’)

PSI and LRG affiliates will review the highlights and major achievements of the LRG Sector work carried out since the last PSI Congress in 2017, followed by a plenary discussion. Affiliates and PSI Regions and Sub-Regions are invited to comment, report, and contribute to the relevant policy areas.

• Facilitator: Daria Cibrario, LRG Officer, PSI + Affiliates - Followed by Plenary discussion.

Reference documents for this session:

• PSI LRG Sector Summary Report 2017-2023 (available in AR, EN, FR, ES, SV, DE, JA)

15:10-16:00 - Part §2. Looking at the Future: PSI LRG Network Action Plan 2022-2028 – “Building the Future of Local Public Services” (50’)

PSI will present the main direction of the LRG Global Network Action Plan 2022-2028, adopted in April 2022. All LRG Affiliates and PSI Regions and Sub-Regions in attendance are invited to comment, input, engage with the different areas of work, and highlight the current challenges, union actions and ongoing activities. They are also invited to make concrete proposals for relevant activities and initiatives for 2023-2024 towards the goals of the Action Plan.

• Facilitator: Daria Cibrario, LRG Officer, PSI + Affiliates - Followed by Plenary discussion

Reference documents for this session:

• PSI LRG Network Action Plan Full 2022-2028 approved in April 2022 (available in AR, EN, FR, ES, PT, SV, DE, JA, KO, Bangla, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Tamil, Urdu)
• PSI LRG Network Action Plan Summary 2022-2028 – approved in April 2022 (exists in AR, EN, FR, ES, SV, DE, JA, KO, Bangla, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Tamil, Urdu)
• Overview of Megatrends affecting Local and Regional Governments, PSI LRGNext2021, Policy Brief#2 (exists in AR, EN, FR, ES, SV, DE, JA)

16:00-16:20 - Coffee Break (20’)

16:20-17:10 - Part §3. PSI Programme of Action and the LRG Sector (50’)

LRG affiliates will have an opportunity to review together the PSI Programme of Action with a focus on the section concerning the LRG sectors and related areas.

• Session lead: LRG Affiliate representatives (TBD) + Plenary discussion

Reference documents for this session:

• Programme of Action - Section 7: Making Sectors Stronger 7.3 Local and Regional Government (LRG) and affiliate Amendment 56 (exists in EN, FR, ES, SV, DE, JA)

17:10-17:30 - Any Other Business, Wrap up and Next Steps (20’)

Migration of Health and Care Workers and Bilateral Labour Agreements: Setting the Course for Trade Union Action

Join us for a panel discussion and workshop to outline PSI’s strategy to effectively shape health migration governance policies and engagement in bilateral agreements in the health and care sectors. Expert speakers and participants will include the WHO, ILO, PSI health and care sector unions, activists, and civil society allies.

Interpretation: English français español

Background

The international migration and mobility of health and care workers has always been on an increasing trend. There is no country in the world that has a sufficient number of adequately trained and employed health and care workers. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates a global shortage of 10 million health workers by 2030, particularly in the middle to low-income countries that are also struggling with fragile health systems. Demographic aging, underemployment and undervaluing of health and care work, colonialism, race and gender inequalities, chronic underfunding of public health services, weak health information systems, unethical recruitment practices and decent work deficits are among the major factors driving international migration and impacting on workers’ rights and the universal right to health. The Covid-19 pandemic aggravated this staffing shortage and laid bare the inequalities between rich and poor countries and the desperate conditions that migrant health and care workers, predominantly women, faced on the frontlines.

During and post-pandemic, there has been a scramble to recruit health and care workers. Many countries in the global North have entered into bilateral labour agreements (BLA) with countries in the global South in order to recruit health and care workers. For instance, Germany has increased the number of countries it has signed BLAs with, from those in Asia (e.g. Philippines, India and Indonesia) to recently include countries in Latin America (e.g. Brazil, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala). During the course of the pandemic, the United Kingdom entered into BLAs with Kenya, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Malaysia to recruit health and care workers. Despite the WHO’s issuance of a Health Workforce Safeguard and Support List (HSSL), which indicates that international recruitment from these countries should be discouraged due critical shortages (currently 55 developing countries in 2023), there is no strict compliance by the recruiting countries. Other countries such as the USA, Canada, Japan and European countries are actively recruiting migrant health and care workers either by forging bilateral or multilateral agreements or through private recruitment agencies. The number and nature of these bilateral and multilateral agreements are not known. There is a push at the global level to make these agreements transparent. Meanwhile, international recruitment continues.

PSI upholds the human and labour rights of all migrant health and care workers while championing the right to healthcare. Achieving the goal of universal healthcare cannot be possible without strong and sustainable human resources for health workers for all countries. In the current context of health and care worker migration, striking this balance can only be achieved through a rights-based, socially-just, and socially sustainable health worker migration governance framework that puts people over profit. The three key elements in this framework include: (1) Fair and Ethical Recruitment, (2) Strengthening the Rights of Health and Care Workers and, (3) Social Dialogue.

The experience from the Germany-Philippines BLA on Nurses signed in 2013, where PSI affiliates in Germany (Ver.di) and the Philippines (PSLINK) are actively engaged in monitoring the implementation of the BLA through social dialogue, is a unique good practice that can be replicated in other BLAs. Moreover, at the global level, the United Nations and its specialised agencies, the International Labour Organization and the WHO, have set forth international instruments and standards governing international migration, including in the health sector. More recently, these international standards have been integrated into two UN-wide instruments, namely the UN Guidance on Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements (2022) and the WHO Guidance on Bilateral Agreements on Health Worker Migration and Mobility (forthcoming, 2023). Guided by our knowledge and practical experience from the Germany-Philippines BLA and the global normative framework, it is high time that PSI unions take the lead as equals with governments and employers in pushing for the rights-based governance of health labour migration and bilateral agreements.

Workshop objectives

The workshop will provide the space for representatives of PSI health and care sector unions, activists, experts, international agencies and civil society allies to:

• Discuss the current trends and state of play in the governance of health and care worker migration and bilateral labour agreements;
• Exchange information, and share experiences, challenges and opportunities;
• Outline a strategy for PSI to effectively shape health migration governance policies and engagement in bilateral or multilateral agreements in the health and care sector.

Agenda

15:00-16:15 - Panel Presentation

• Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary - Opening Remarks
• Ms. Maren Hopfe, International Labor O rganization (IL O)
• Dr. Giorgio Cometto, Health Workforce Department, World Health Organization (WHO)
• Annie Geron, PSLINK, Philippines
• Herbert Beck, Ver.di, Germany
• Dr. Jane Pillinger, PSI Consultant (recorded presentation)

Question and Answers
Panel Moderator: Genevieve Gencianos, PSI Migration Programme Coordinator

16:15–16:30 - Coffee break

16:30-17:00 - Breakout groups/World Café

17:00-17:30 - Plenary and Conclusion

Plenary Moderator: Annie Geron, PSLINK and PSI Vice-President

We will discuss Congress resolutions, the programme of action, PSI’s LGBT+ work, the Global Unions LGBTI Workers project, and other relevant matters. Delegates and observers who identify as LGBT+ are welcome.

For over thirty years, PSI has been a leader in the global labour movement working on LGBT+ equality. We have collaborated with Education International to present LGBT+ Forums at our respective Congresses. This year, as we meet in Geneva, we present a series of panel discussions and interactive sessions with speakers from PSI and EI affiliates and civil society. These sessions are open to all delegates, observers, and guests. The fight for LGBT+ equality welcomes all allies!

Interpretation - English français español Deutsch Svenska 日本語 portugués 한국어

We are also collaborating with PSI young workers to organise a social event.

Africa & Arab countries Regional Executive Committee (closed meeting).

Digitalisation of Work

PSI is leading the global labour movement in dealing with digitalisation. Join us to find out how PSI affiliates are responding to the digitalisation of work and public services, learn from case studies, and share information that will help your union's daily work. The meeting will also present some of the most important tools and guides that PSI has developed as part of the Our Digital Future project to support collective bargaining and advocacy.

Interpretation: English, français español Deutsch portugués اللغة العربية

Background

Digitalisation is changing public services and the workplace in unprecedented ways. How are unions responding, and what should workers demand?

The first part of the side event will feature four panelists who will present their personal experiences. Come and learn about the challenges that digitalisation has presented to public service workers, how unions have responded, and what kinds of challenges and successes they have faced. Hear case studies from PSI affiliates from Ghana, Peru, India and USA.

The second part of the meeting will present the important tools and guides that PSI has developed as part of the Our Digital Future project to support your collective bargaining and policy advocacy on digital issues, including PSI’s new global database on digital collective bargaining clauses.

PSI is leading the global labour movement in dealing with digitalisation. We have provided training, research and tools to assist affiliates in supporting members and assist with collective bargaining on workplace impacts, public service reform, privatisation, algorithmic management, AI, smart cities and digital governance. For more information on PSI support to our affiliates in these areas visit the PSI webpage Digitalisation - PSI or our world leading database on digital collective bargaining clauses Digital Bargaining Hub - PSI.

Agenda

09:00-09:10 - Welcome and introduction

Daniel Bertossa, PSI Assistant General Secretary

09:10 – 10:30 - Session Part 1. Hear from our four panelists about how their unions are responding to the digitalisation of work and share your insights in this interactive session.

• Jose Delgado, FENTASE, Peru
• Jennifer Porcari, AFT, USA
• John Doe, PSWU of TUC, Ghana
• Jammu Anand, NMCEU, India

Moderator: Sandra Massiah

10:30 - 11:30 - Session Part 2. PSI will present guides and tools we have developed to support affiliates as they engage in collective bargaining and policy advocacy on digital issues.

These include:

• PSI’s Digital Bargaining Hub (DBH) with examples from affiliates sharing how they have used the DBH to help collective bargaining on digital issues.
• The Data Lifecycle at Work and Data Rights tool - guides to assist unions understand how management collects, analyses, stores and shares (or sells) workers’ data.
• Guide to Co-governance of Algorithmic Systems – to help workers and unions keep management accountable for algorithmic systems deployed in the workplace.
• Digital Impact Framework to assess your union’s digital readiness.

Presented by: Hannah Johnston and Christina Colclough

Asia Pacific Regional Executive Committee (closed meeting).

Privatisation is a growing threat in all countries and all sectors. This meeting will share examples of anti-privatisation strategies and tactics. We will examine the roles of various actors, as unions need a range of allies and tools to block privatisation. We will assess PSI's regional and global capacities to support union campaigns and make recommendations for the next Congress period.

Interpretation: English, français español Svenska 日本語 한국어

Privatisation is a threat to workers because for-profit corporations must maximise their profits in the shortest time possible. They cut the cost of labour by dismissing workers, by hiring outsourced workers at lower wages and benefits, by providing less tools and training. It also threatens our families and communities as service access and quality is reduced, tariffs are increased, and public funds deviated to profits.

Nevertheless, privatisation continues to be a preferred solution for many public institutions, notably the World Bank and the regional development banks which continue to make privatisation a condition for access to financing. Much of the logic remains unchanged. It is based on ideological assumptions that the market and private capital are better able to organise the provision of most public services. These views continue to inform policies despite the mounting evidence of the failures of the market to meet basic human needs.

Many local, regional and national governments are attracted to privatisation as a way to meet the challenges of the people’s growing needs and limited public funds. The traditional long-term concession contracts allowing the private sector to operate public services (often as a monopoly) have been denounced by the IMF and the European Court of Auditors as a form of accounting fraud, whereby governments hide their obligations in the PPP contracts from their own accounting.

The incredible wealth managed by financial services companies such as BlackRock, Vanguard, etc. is now being directed towards privatisation. The outsized influence of these huge corporations on our public institutions means that laws can be changed, regulations weakened, the scales of justice tipped in their favour.

However, people can resist. They can chart a different course. They are organising.

And trade unions are lending their strength to this organising.

We are collectively building and strengthening social movements that can influence the political choices made by elected officials.

Speakers

• Donald Cohen, Executive Director, In The Public Interest – ITPI
• Aderonke Ige CAPPA Nigeria - remote intervention
• Bojan Kanizaj, PSI Communications
• Kate Lappin, PSI Asia Pacific
• Abdullah Dayo, FES Pakistan
• Kate Batt, CPSU SPSF Australia

Moderator : David Boys, PSI Deputy General Secretary

Inter-American Regional Executive Committee. (closed meeting).

The side event will showcase the unique role of the PSI in addressing forced displacement from the perspective of human and labour rights, with our unions working directly with refugees and internally displaced persons. Concretely, we will be sharing with participants the achievements from the two PSI flagship projects, namely, the project on Refugees and Migrant Workers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and the project on internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. These projects are implemented in partnership with Union-to-Union and the Swedish affiliates (ASSR, Vardforbundet, ST and Vision). Discussions from the side event will inform the implementation of our new Programme of Action (2023-2028) section on Migration and Refugees and Resolution No. 9 (Refugees and IDPs in Africa and Arab Region).

Languages: English, French, Spanish and Arabic. This will be a hybrid event.

Background

Escalating conflicts, climate change, loss of livelihood, extreme poverty and hunger continue to drive forced displacement to unprecedented levels each year. Amidst all these, public service workers are on the frontlines braving the impacts of climate disasters and conflicts. They save lives and deliver essential services to communities.

PSI upholds the human rights of all migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons to access human rights and quality public services. We fight for the rights of public service workers to safety, decent work and social protection. We amplify the voice of workers and communities to socially just and equitable transition, climate justice and well-funded quality public services.

The side event will showcase the unique role of the PSI in addressing forced displacement from the perspective of human and labour rights, with our unions working directly with refugees and internally displaced persons. We will share with the participants highlights from the two PSI flagship projects dealing with forced displacement, namely, the project on Refugees and Migrant Workers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and the project on internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. These projects are implemented in partnership with Union-to-Union and the four Swedish affiliates (ASSR, Vardforbundet, ST and Vision). Discussions from the side event will inform the implementation of our new Programme of Action (2023-2028) section on Migration and Refugees and Resolution No. 9 (Refugees and IDPs in Africa and Arab Region).

Programme

• Background and Introduction – Genevieve Gencianos, PSI Migration Programme Coordinator
• Opening Remarks – Britta Lejon, President, ST, Sweden

Presentation on the MENA Migrant Workers and Refugees Project

• Video: Public Services and the Triple C’s

Speakers

• Nawfel Rhayem, Fédération Générale de la Santé, Tunisia – Presentation of the project on behalf of the 4 countries (Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia and Algeria)
• Nina Bergman, Vårdförbundet – Sweden – perspectives on behalf of the 4 Swedish project partners (Vårdförbundet, ASSR, ST and Vision)
• Najwa Hanna, PSI Subregional Secretary for Arab Countries – resource person

Presentation on the Nigeria Project on internally displaced persons (IDPs)

• Video: People Over Profit: Forced Displacement and the Climate Crisis in Nigeria

Speakers

• Nigeria Project team (recorded presentation) – Presentation of the project
• Maria Östberg-Svanelind and Josefine Johansson, Akademikerförbundet SSR (ASSR), Sweden – perspective from the Swedish project partner
• Moradeke Abiodun-Badru, Project Coordinator for English-Speaking Africa – resource person

Open Discussion – Question and Answers

• Moderator: Genevieve Gencianos, PSI
  

This gathering of young worker leaders is a space to exchange information on the activities of yoiung workers in the regions, build connections, and explore future initiatives. We will hear from PSI's leadership and learn about the PSI constitution, decision-making structures, and our political action plan.

Interpretation: English français español Deutsch Svenska 日本語 Português

Hosting a global in-person meeting of young worker (YW) delegates from the PSI YW Regional Committees who will be attending the PSI World Congress. The purpose, aside from providing an opportunity for the YW to know each other and socialise (we are arranging a welcome cocktail event for the youth in conjunction with the LGBT+ committee), is as follows:

• To enhance the understanding of YW leaders regarding the PSI Constitution, the involvement of youth in the organisation's decision-making structures, as well as its political action plan;
• To exchange the work undertaken by youth from different regions in recent years, along with the projected initiatives for the forthcoming period, with the aim of aligning political objectives, establishing continuous communication, and coordinating priorities, campaigns, and exchanges of political experiences across diverse regions;
• To collaboratively formulate demands and a shared agenda for the upcoming period, with the objective of strengthening and expanding Sub-Regional and Regional youth committees within PSI, elevating the status of youth participation in PSI decision-making instances, enhancing communication among the regions, and ensuring budget allocation and a schedule of global meetings among PSI YW Committees.

To this end, we have structured the agenda into three segments. The initial phase will feature a presentation by the PSI Secretary-General, Rosa Pavanelli, and the Assistant Secretary-General of the organisation, Daniel Bertossa, followed by participant introductions. Following this, 50 minutes will be allocated for showcasing the work accomplished, the political priorities, and the anticipated projects of each Regional YW Committee. Finally, a political discussion will be coordinated by the PSI global YW Coordinator, centred around formulating demands and priorities necessary to fulfil the aforementioned objectives.

Agenda

15:30-16:15 - Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary
• Daniel Bertossa, PSI Assistant General Secretary

Reference Document : PSI Programme of Action and PSI Constitution

16:15 – 17:05 - Regional Presentations
Overview of young workers committees, projects and campaigns developed in the last period, projects for the next period, political priorities

• Alba Gjini, Europe
• Geici Maiara Brig, Latin America
• Madeline Northam, Asia Pacific
• Mohammed Amine, Africa and Arab countries

Questions, comments, and complements.

17:05 - 17:30 - Strengthening PSI young workers coordination at a global level
Brief presentation of PSI structure and young workers, demands for improving global communication, incidence during congress, priorities for the agenda.

• Gabriel Casnati, PSI Young Workers Global Coordinator

Open debate.

This is a closed meeting, open only to the elected members of the Standing Orders Committee.

Whistleblowers’ Protection in the Workplace: Past, Present, and Future of PSI Action at Global and Local Level

This meeting will provide a space for discussion of current trends and review the legal landscape for the protection of whistleblowers. We will assess our progress and specific achievements over the last five years. We will also brainstorm strategies for PSI to effectively shape the protection of whistleblowers in the workplace, consolidate our objectives at the ILO, and ensure the protection of public sector workers.

Interpretation: English français español

Background

The protection of whistle-blowers in the public sector, the judiciary, tax collection, customs, and auditing sectors in particular, has been a priority at PSI since the 29th World Congress in Durban.

PSI and key affiliates have since been working, without haste but without pause, in establishing the view that the protection of whistleblowers is a fundamental element in the fight of public sector workers against corruption, misconduct, or wrongdoing. In the last five years our work has begun to bear fruit and we managed to position such protection as a top issue on the ILO’s agenda; in addition to the many instruments or documents that emphasise that whistleblowers’ protection is necessary[1], the ILO constituents finally acknowledged, in 2022, that “there is […] a growing understanding among ILO members concerning the concept that constitutes whistle-blowing”, and that “the effort to protect whistle-blowers should be comprehensive, incorporating national, regional and international cooperation, which will allow governments and social partners to develop strategies to combat corruption and other wrongdoing” (ILO technical meeting on the protection of whistle-blowers in the public service sector – Geneva, 26-30 September 2022).

However, there is much to be done to consolidate what we have already achieved and to cement our main objective which is to have an international instrument to protect whistleblowers in the public sector.

Workshop objectives:

The pre-Congress meeting will provide a space to:

• Discuss the current trends and state of play in the protection of whistleblowers;
• Exchange information, share experiences, challenges and opportunities;
• Outline a strategy for PSI to effectively shape the whistleblowers’ protection landscape within the world of work, consolidate our wins, and make sure that the protection is tailored to the needs of public sector workers.

Agenda

09:00-09:10 - Opening and introduction

• Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary - Opening Remarks (TBC)
• Camilo Rubiano, PSI TURs & National Administration Office

09:10-10:00 - Presentations

• Macarena Fernández, International relations Secretary (APOC, Argentina)
• Ariel Pringles, President (Latin American confederation of workers of the judiciary)
• Nayla Glaise, President (EUROCADRES, France)

10:00-10:50 - Q&A Session and Discussion

10:50-11:00 - Closing and wrap-up
[1] There are currently five ILO instruments that mention whistleblowing and call for whistleblower protection in the context of fighting corruption: Transition from informal to formal economy recommendation 204 from 2015; Resolution concerning decent work in global supply chains from 2016; Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation 205 from 2017; the 2018 ILO Guidelines on decent work in public emergency services; the 2019 ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment.

Interpretation: English français español

The future of public service union organising - building worker and community power

Trade unions worldwide face systematic attacks by companies, right-wing movements, and many governments that undermine workers’ rights and weaken the labour movement - exacerbated in public services by austerity, privatisation and outsourcing. To fight back, we must build our power: finding ways to recruit, involve, educate and mobilise our members and allies to win concrete gains for workers and public services users. Join us to learn how PSI is working with its affiliates to do this, hear success stories, share practical advice and explore how PSI and our affiliates can build our organising program in the future.

Interpretation: English français español Deutsch 日本語 português اللغة العر हिन्दी भाषा اردو زبان

Background

Building union power is only sustainable with high density and highly involved members capable of winning concrete gains for themselves and users of public services. Trade unions around the globe face repeated attacks by companies and governments, designed to weaken the labour movement and erode union membership. Public service unions also face austerity, privatisation and outsourcing. Public service unions must fight back.

This event will showcase the organising campaigns of four PSI affiliates, set out how key organising concepts apply to public services and discuss strategy for global organising in our sectors.

Agenda

11:00-11:15 - Opening and Welcome

• Introduction by Daniel Bertossa. PSI Assistant General Secretary
• Opening remarks Christina McAnea, UNISON General Secretary, UK

11:15–12:15 - Winning For Workers : Four Organising Case Studies From Around the Globe

• Davji Atellah, National Secretary of Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Kenya
• Artem Tidva, Organising and Campaigns Officer, EPSU, Ukraine
• Michael Whaites, Deputy General Secretary, NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, Australia
• Dharti Durugwar, Organiser from Nagpur Municipal Corporation Temporary Health Employees Union, India

12:15-12:25 - Coffee Break

12:25-13:30 - Ideas For Action: the Future of Public Services Organising

• Keynote from Jane McAlevey: Putting Organising Concepts into Action in Public Services

Q and A with Jane McAlevey and panellists.

We will discuss Congress resolutions, the programme of action, PSI’s LGBT+ work, the Global Unions LGBTI Workers project, and other relevant matters. Delegates and observers who identify as LGBT+ are welcome.

Interpretation: English, français español Deutsch Svenska português 한국어

Determinations regarding Emergency Resolutions (if needed; closed session).

08:30 - Delegates arrive and are seated for an 8h45 start.

A Just Transition ensures that no one is left behind. How can we involve members and make them active participants in the necessary transformation? Vision and UNISON are pleased to invite you to a lunchtime side event during the PSI Congress on the trade union response to climate change. The gathering aims to facilitate the sharing of experiences by unions in incorporating green and climate-related issues into workplace settings and integrating them into the collective bargaining agenda. Representatives from UNISON and Vision will share their experiences with introducing 'Green Reps' in workplaces in the UK and Sweden. A panel discussion with union representatives from Colombia and Kenya will open up the meeting participants to discuss how to engage members on climate issues. Join us and share your union's experiences!

Strengthening Regional Strategies Health and Care Workers' Rights, Now!

The negotiations at the World Health Organisation for a Pandemic Treaty aimed at avoiding the appalling failures in international cooperation that characterized the response to the Covid-19 pandemic highlight the importance of a coordinated voice of labour in international processes. After almost two years of negotiation, our engagement has led to the inclusion of language that recognises the importance of protecting health and care workers during pandemics. Yet, measures to improve equitable access to vaccines, medicines and other health technologies, as well as strengthening public health systems, are lacking.

If these issues are not addressed adequately, the international community would have learned nothing from the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. Unions have a key role to play. Throughout 2022, PSI and affiliates have worked to improve the future instrument by influencing governmental positions both at national and international levels. PSI has developed materials to support affiliates' advocacy, we have organized workshops, social media campaigns, participated in public hearings at INB/WHO, meetings with governments, amongst other initiatives.

During the 2023 Congress, we invite all health affiliates to a strategic session to plan the next steps and define regional strategies and priorities. This meeting will complement the "Pandemic Treaty Campaign Booth" (open from 12 to 18 October at the Congress site). We encourage the participants to read the PSI Explainer: The Pandemic Treaty before attending the workshop to be up to date with the background and be able to contribute effectively to the session.

Interpretation: English, Spanish, Arabic, French (non-official languages to be confirmed)

Objectives

• To share advocacy strategies
• To seek regional coordination to follow the treaty negotiations
• To agree on key advocacy targets (ministries, officials, etc.)
• To identify information and material needs to achieve advocacy goals

Determinations regarding Emergency Resolutions (if needed; closed session).

9.00-10.00 am - If necessary, ballot papers will be distributed in the room to Heads of Delegations. Ballot boxes will be installed and balloting open for the election of General Secretary / President (results will be announced in the course of the day)

Determinations regarding Emergency Resolutions (if needed; closed session)

9.00 - 10.00 am - If a 2nd round of election voting is required, ballot boxes will be installed and balloting will be open for the election of General Secretary / President (results will be announced in the course of the day)

Advancing the rights of Indigenous Workers and their communities

Background

PSI is committed to supporting the struggles of Indigenous Peoples elaborated in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ILO Convention 169. Section 3.7 of the Programme of Action outlines ways that PSI can work with affiliates to advance those rights (included below). Several PSI affiliates have already taken important steps to advance the rights of Indigenous workers and to act in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples movements.

In 2021, PSI and its affiliated unions in Ecuador CONASEP and FENOGOPRE submitted a complaint on Convention 169 to the ILO, on behalf of the Shuar Arutam Peoples in Ecuador. In New Zealand, the PSA has worked with its Maori leadership and membership to close the racial pay gap. Through PSI meetings, video and materials, they have inspired other unions to take a more structured and deliberate approach to organising and advocating with Indigenous workers. The Interamerican Committee for Combating Racism, Xenophobia and all forms of discrimination, organised a series of meetings of Indigenous unionists and identified the need for more opportunities for affiliates to exchange practices and ideas across regions to increase solidarity with Indigenous struggles and movements

Objective

This lunchtime discussion will highlight Indigenous Peoples struggles’ and illustrate actions unions can take to advance the rights of Indigenous workers and communities.

Programme of Action key actions on the rights of Indigenous Peoples

3.7.7. PSI will prioritise working with affiliates to:
Adopt internal union policies in support of Indigenous peoples’ inclusion.

1. Promote the adoption of government policies that facilitate Indigenous people’s access to culturally safe public services and provide welcoming and supportive environments where the pluri-cultural needs and expectations of Indigenous people are respected and met.
2. Ensure that public services workforces reflect the populations they serve.
3. Ensure public services employment practices recognise the aims, aspirations, and employment requirements of Indigenous people.
4. Build international support for the employment of Indigenous people in public services including access and recruitment that recognises the aspirations as well as the employment requirements of Indigenous people.

Agenda - 12:30 – 14:00

12:30- 12:45 Indigenous Welcomes

12:45 – 1:05 Using ILO Convention 169 – The example of Ecuador

1:05 – 1:35 Talkshow on the role unions can play in advancing rights of Indigenous – Lesley Dixon (Maori, Aoterroa), Sandra Marin Cheuquelaf (Mapuche nation) and Renan Puc Chi (Maya nation)

1:35 – 2:00 Q&A and examples from the floor.

Standing Orders Committee Session and determinations regarding Emergency Resolutions (if needed; closed session)

Including workers living with disabilities

From 14 to 18 October 2023, PSI will hold its world congress in Geneva. Congress is the organisation’s principal political event, and it occurs every five years to define PSI’s global policies and programme of action.

Congress is an opportunity for the world’s public sector and public services trade union leaders, and friends and allies of the labour movement, to share international experiences, be informed about the global forces shaping government, society, democracy, labour and public services, and to plan the action needed to shape a better world.

The 31st PSI Congress will ratify its commitment and approve a new programme of action to be implemented from 2023 to 2028, to build respect and dignity for all, including persons with disabilities. The programme will prioritise working with affiliates to:

Campaign for the social inclusion of persons with disabilities in public services and public service employment policies and enhance their rights at work in public services.

Advocate within UN bodies and the ILO for standards for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the world of work in public services, including the opportunities arising from the expansion of teleworking and digitalisation.

Continue our work to ratify, implement and monitor ILO Cnventions 111 and 190, using the ILO supervisory mechanism and other human rights regional courts to defend workers with disabilities from discrimination and violence at work.

Advocate for access to inclusive public services for persons with disabilities, decent work, and inclusion of specific clauses for protection from discrimination in Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA), and quotas in public services employment.

PSI Congress is also a space for workers living with disabilities to discuss future work and participate in the decision-making process of the organisation. In this context, PSI and the ILO are organising a joint lunchtime event on 18 October.

Decent work for persons with disabilities

This lunchtime event will be held from 12:30-14:00, on Wednesday, 18 October and aims to:

• Raise the voice of persons with disabilities to drive the implementation of PSI’s Programme of Action 2023-2028
• Share unions’ experiences in advocating for persons with disabilities’ rights at work and public services
• Discuss the ILO’s comprehensive approach to decent work for persons with disabilities.
• Build proposals for future engagement, exchange, and collaborative work.

Interpretation for this event is confirmed and will be available in English, French, Spanish, Japanese and English subtitles.

Related documents:

• Disability and work: trade union action on decent work for persons with disabilities (ilo.org)
• A joint publication by Fundación ONCE and the ILO Global Business and Disability Network: Making the future of work inclusive of people with disabilities
• Joint publication: An inclusive digital economy for people with disabilities (ilo.org)

Agenda

12:30-12:50 - Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Musanje Geofrey (Uganda)
• Andrea Barcelos de Souza (Brazil)
• Abdoul Adamu (Niger)

12:50-13:10 - Disability and Inclusion in Employment. A Road Map in Montserrat

• Nyota Mulcare and Jester Weekes, Montserrat Civil Service Association (MCSA)

13:10-13:30 - ILO’s comprehensive approach to decent work for persons with disabilities based on collective bargaining and the social dialogue system in the public services and viewpoints for joint work on implementation of ILO C111 and C190, and opportunities around teleworking and digitalisation.

• Faustina Van Aperen (ILO-ACTRAV)
• Esteban Tromel and Güler Koca (ILO-GEDI)

13:10-14:00 - Q&A.
Future engagement and collaborative work

• Verónica Montúfar (PSI Equalities Officer)