Public Services International (PSI) is the

global union federation A global union federation (GUF) is an international federation of national trade unions organizing in specific industry sectors or occupational groups. Historically, such federations in the social democratic tradition described as international t ...

for workers in public services, including those who work in social services,

health care Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...

, municipal services,

central government A central government is the government that is a controlling power over a unitary state. Another distinct but sovereign political entity is a federal government, which may have distinct powers at various levels of government, authorized or dele ...

and

public utilities A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and r ...

. , PSI has 700 affiliated

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

s from 154 countries representing over 30 million workers.

History

In March 1907, the executive of the German

Union of Municipal and State Workers The Union of Municipal and State Workers (german: Verband der Gemeinde- und Staatsarbeiter, VGS) was a trade union representing public sector workers in Germany. History In September 1896, gas workers in Berlin went on strike in opposition to hav ...

, based in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

, issued a call to "workers employed in municipal and state undertakings, in power stations, in gas and waterworks, in all countries" to attend an international conference in August 1907, in

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...

. Four Danes, two Dutchmen, eight Germans, a Hungarian, a Swede and a Swiss met in the Stuttgart trade union building for the First Congress of Public Services International, representing 44,479 workers, and they founded the International Secretariat of the Workers in Public Services. This grew rapidly, and by 1913 represented more than 100,000 workers, enabling a part-time salary to be paid to the secretary, based in Berlin. The federation ceased to operate during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, but was reactivated in 1919, now based in Amsterdam. In 1925, it renamed itself as the International Federation of Employees in Public Services, while in 1935 it absorbed the International Federation of Civil Servants, becoming the International Federation of Employees in Public and Civil Services. The headquarters moved back to Berlin in 1929, then to Amsterdam in 1933, and on to Paris. This closed in 1940, and the occupying Nazi forces destroyed the federation's property, but in 1945 the federation was relaunched at a meeting of the executive committee, held in London. The following year, it became known as the International Federation of Unions of Employees in Public and Civil Services, then in 1958 it shortened its name to become the "Public Services International".

Policies

PSI is involved in the movement against privatisation of public services by corporations across the world. PSI also works against tax evasion by multinational corporations and is a founding member of the International Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation. PSI's pro-worker stance has put it at odds with the

WTO The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and e ...

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...

and IMF who predominantly promote market solutions. PSI works in partnership with affiliate trade unions, other Global Union Federations and NGOs such as the Our World is Not For Sale Network.

Public Services International Research Unit

Financed by PSI, Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) researches the privatisation and restructuring of public services around the world, with special focus on water, energy, waste management, and healthcare. Established in 2000, it is part of the Business School of the

University of Greenwich The University of Greenwich is a public university located in London and Kent, United Kingdom. Previous names include Woolwich Polytechnic and Thames Polytechnic. The university's main campus is at the Old Royal Naval College, which along with it ...

, UK.

Leadership

General Secretaries

:1907:

Albin Mohs Albin Mohs (1867 – 1925) was a German trade union leader. Mohs was born on 16 May 1867 in Leipzig, Kingdom of Saxony. He became a woodturner, and joined the Union of Woodturners of Germany. From 1889, he chaired its Leipzig branch. In 1893 ...

:1919:

Nico van Hinte Nicolaas van Hinte (13 July 1869 – 6 November 1932) was a Dutch trade union leader. Born in Assen, van Hinte followed his father in completing an apprenticeship as a gas fitter. He worked in Dokkum, before moving to Leeuwarden. In 1897, h ...

:1929:

Fritz Müntner Fritz Müntner (6 November 1870 – 31 March 1934) was a German trade union leader. Born in Wriezen, Müntner completed an apprenticeship as a saddler and travelled extensively in his journeyman years, before settling in Berlin in 1894. He jo ...

:1933: Ludwig Maier (acting) :1933: Ernest Michaud :1935:

Charles Laurent Charles Louis Laurent (18 March 1879 – 10 July 1965) was a French trade union leader. From 1899, Laurent worked for the Deposits and Consignments Fund, eventually rising to become office manager. He became interested in trade unionism, an ...

and Ernest Michaud :1937:

:1945: Maarten Bolle :1954:

Jaap Blom Jakob Blom (23 September 1898 – 26 May 1966) was a Dutch politician and trade unionist. Born in Oud-Beijerland, after World War II, Blom became prominent in the General Union of Civil Servants (ABVA), winning election as its president in ...

:1956:

Paul Tofahrn Paul Tofahrn (8 January 1901 – 7 February 1979) was a Belgian and international trade union leader. Born in Manderfeld, Tofahrn grew up in Germany, France, Belgium and Italy, as his father moved to find work. During World War I, he worked a ...

:1967: Werner Barazetti :1970: Carl Franken :1981: Hans Engelberts :2007:

Peter Waldorff Peter Waldorff, 2007-2012 General Secretary of PSI Public Services International. He was born in 1955 and is Danish, married with Tina Waldorff and having two grown up children. He was elected as General Secretary of Public Services Internation ...

:2012:

Rosa Pavanelli Rosa Pavanelli is the General Secretary of Public Services International, the global union federation for public sector trade unions. Early life Pavanelli was born in 1955 in Brescia, Italy. She holds a degree in biology from the State University ...

Presidents

:1920:

Peter Tevenan Peter Joseph Tevenan (20 June 1857 – 11 April 1943) was an Irish-British trade unionist and politician. Born in County Galway, Tevenan moved with his family to Liverpool when he was a young child. The family then settled in Chesterfield, Derb ...

:1932: Charles Dukes :1937:

Mark Hewitson Captain Mark Hewitson (15 December 1897 – 27 February 1973) was a British trade union official and Labour Party politician. He was chosen at the last minute to stand for Parliament, and eventually served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for nine ...

:1939: Tom Williamson :1956: Adolph Kummernuss :1964:

Gunnar Hallström Hans Gunnar Fredrik Hallström (5 January 1910 – 29 June 1989) was a Swedish trade unionist and politician. Hallström joined the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League in 1927, remaining active in it until 1936. He then became leader of th ...

:1973:

Heinz Kluncker Heinz Kluncker (February 20, 1925 (Wuppertal) – April 21, 2005 ( Stuttgart)) was president of the German trade union ÖTV (''Öffentliche Dienste, Transport und Verkehr'' Public service, transport and traffic) from 1964 to 1982. Kluncker was co ...

:1985: Victor Gotbaum :1989:

Monika Wulf-Mathies Monika Wulf-Mathies (born 1942) is a German politician, who was European Commissioner for Regional Policy. Early life Wulf-Mathies was born in the rural town of Wernigerode in 1942 after her family was evacuated from wartime Hamburg. Career In ...

:1994: William Lucy :2002:

Ylva Thörn Ylva Thörn (born 2 August 1954) is a Swedish politician and former trade unionist. Born in Åtvidaberg, Thörn became a nursing assistant in 1974, initially in Åtvidaberg and then in Linköping. She joined the Swedish Municipal Workers' Union ( ...

:2010:

Dave Prentis David Prentis, Baron Prentis of Leeds (born 29 May 1948) is a British trade unionist and former General Secretary of UNISON, the United Kingdom's largest trade union. He was originally elected in 2000. He was re-elected in March 2005, with 77% ...

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Global union federations Public services Trade unions established in 1907