This guidance for workers involved in cleaning work - particularly in the health sector - outlines the steps needed to ensure safety in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to AFT for the original version, updated by PSI for global audience.

We are commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March in the midst of a COVID-19 global pandemic that has killed more than 10,000 people, infected over 250,000 and continues to spread rapidly within and across countries.

Download

This IMF note, discusses what finance ministries can do to ensure that public-private partnerships (PPPs) are used wisely. By inviting private participation in infrastructure development and service provision, PPPs can help improve public services. Yet, strong governance institutions are needed to manage risks and avoid unexpected costs from PPPs. While in the short term, PPPs may appear cheaper than traditional public investment, over time they can turn out to be more expensive and undermine fiscal sustainability, particularly when governments ignore or are unaware of their deferred costs and associated fiscal risks.

Unions around the world are urgently negotiating special Workforce Policies to ensure safety and that workers conditions are not undermined as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic. This template Workforce Policy provides the basis for negotiations between unions and employer. Originally developed by UNISON UK and updated by PSI, it can be easily modified for national context. If your union has developed similar model clauses or materials which could be shared with the global movement, please let us know!

This PSIRU report, commissioned by EPSU, highlights the many failures of liberalisation – prices have increased for consumers by as much as double in the past 10 years, a quarter of jobs have been lost in the energy sector, and public monopolies have been replaced by powerful private cartels – and also offers alternatives for the future.

The annual Spotlight Report, assesses the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the structural obstacles to its realization, with a particular focus on the rich and powerful. In assessing progress, the report not only focuses on policy incoherence, but analyses and assesses the extent to which policies are framed by the ambitious principles of the 2030 Agenda, particularly the human rights framework, and the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities.

This document provides evidence to help you make your case for respiratory protection for workers caring for or interacting with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases. Originally developed by the American Federation of Teachers (with thanks!), updated by PSI for global affiliates.

Taking on privatization at the bargaining table

The Coronavirus Pandemic means that Unions around the world need to negotiate special - and largely unprecedented - home-working conditions for workers across the coming months. This template document provides the basis for a Home-Working Policy which unions can negotiate with employers. The policy - originally developed thanks to UNISON UK - has been generalised to make it relevant for our global affiliates. We strongly suggest that Unions see the template as a basis, and modify the Policy to make it more relevant to their context, with added references to national labour laws, COVID-19 government responses etc. If your union has developed similar model clauses or materials which could be shared with the global movement, please let us know!

This is the AFT’s second report in a two-part series highlighting the investment risks to pension funds and other investors whose portfolios contain investments in the private prison industry or contractors who provide services to immigrant detention centers.

Attac France and the Observatory for Multinationals have released their new report on French multinationals (CAC 40) "Major French companies: a disastrous impact for society and the planet! " (available in French). This report summarizes the true balance sheet of the CAC 40 companies in terms of social justice, ecological justice and tax justice. The authors analyse the rise of profits, dividends and CEO salaries while considering the key principles of social justice.