Reclaiming Public Services
The latest research from the Transnational Institute, with the support of the European Federation of Public Services Unions (EPSU) has been published. This report confirms what SIPTU Health was been arguing for years, that privatisation has not worked.
Reclaiming Public Services is vital reading for all SIPTU members interested in the future of local, democratic services like energy, water and health care. This is an in-depth world tour of new initiatives in public ownership and the variety of approaches to reversing privatisation.
Remunicipalisation is taking place in small towns and in capital cities, following different models of public ownership and with various levels of involvement by citizens and workers. Out of this diversity, a coherent picture is nevertheless emerging: it is possible to deliver efficient, democratic and affordable public services. Ever declining service quality and ever increasing prices are not inevitable. More and more people and cities are closing the chapter on privatisation, and putting essential services back into public hands. The research shows that there have been at least 835 examples of (re)municipalisation of public services worldwide since 2000, involving more than 1,600 municipalities in 45 countries.
Out of this diversity, a coherent picture is nevertheless emerging: it is possible to deliver efficient, democratic and affordable public services. Ever declining service quality and ever increasing prices are not inevitable. More and more people and cities are closing the chapter on privatisation, and putting essential services back into public hands. The research shows that there have been at least 835 examples of (re)municipalisation of public services worldwide since 2000, involving more than 1,600 municipalities in 45 countries.
SIPTU Health members are fully committed to reclaiming public services and supporting re-municipalisation processes across Europe.