Public Services International The global union federation of workers in public services

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI), meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012NOTES:The challenges that are faced by workers all over the world in this period of severe austerity, and the undermining of the public sector and public services it delivers.The conservative alliances that have been established by employers, financial institutions and their governmental partners to pursue an agenda based on neo-liberal premises, which consolidates the power of the powerful, and directs their coordinated action to undermine social benefits and union organisation.The degree of union fragmentation that exists in many countries, and the necessity of forging mergers and alliances to defend workers’ living standards.The absolute necessity of developing a credible programme to address the global economic crisis that is based primarily on the needs of the working class and the poor, and which seeks to decisively shift power away from those who currently control wealth in favour of social control and accountability.The absolute necessity of building a single united, democratic and independent world trade union organisation that is capable of defending the global working class through effective solidarity action, and which dispenses with the residue of the Cold War.The need to build complementary global trade union organisations that bring unions in the same sector together, and which are capable of contributing to a global alternative to austerity, and to undertake decisive solidarity actions to challenge neo-liberal policies.Attempts that are underway at continental levels, e.g. in Africa, to unite the ITUC Africa, and the Organisation of Trade Union Unity (OATUU).The wastefulness and divisiveness of having competing world and continental trade union organisations, and the opportunities this provides for undermining trade union unity.This Congress therefore RESOLVES:That the PSI will position itself in the forefront of encouraging a dialogue between the ITUC and the WFTU to ascertain the possibilities of building a united, independent and democratic world trade union organisation.That PSI affiliates will be encouraged to engage affiliates of other trade union federations at national level, and with independent unions in the public sector to open a discourse on united action and future unity. See all Congress resolutions including the Program of Action and the Constitution.