In this issue
IMPACT Audio Bulletin
Savings on hundreds of brands
Pay legislation progresses despite fears
No cash for primary health plan
Precarious work now common
Civil service recruitment problems flagged
IMPACT urges hard line on Brexit
Health reps defend ‘hidden heroes’
IMPACT’s ‘unique’ solidarity applauded
by Bernard Harbor
 

 

The international trade union federation Public Services International (PSI) has applauded IMPACT’s approach to solidarity with trade unions in the developing world. During a presentation to the union’s executive last week, PSI projects director Jasper Goss said IMPACT’s practice of ring-fencing 3% of membership subscriptions for development work was unique in the international trade union movement.

 

The union’s developing world fund supports trade union and education projects to the tune of around €500,000 a year. It has distributed funds of over €9 million since it was established. Many of the large initiatives it bank-rolls are managed and developed by PSI, which is able to administer and guarantee the integrity of projects through a network of field officers.

 

The many projects funded over the years have included helping unions promote gender equality in Brazil, boosting union rights for care workers in Pakistan, encouraging social dialogue in East Africa, enthusing young trade union activists in Chile and central Europe, and helping control the spread of AIDS in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

Jasper Goss told IMPACT executive members that the union was making “an extraordinarily generous, important and unique contribution with other unions around the world.” He said PSI currently partnered with IMPACT on 16 projects in 30 countries. “Because of its developing world fund, IMPACT guarantees resources far above what any other union of a similar size can do. It’s a unique form of international solidarity,” he said.

 

IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan said it was recognised internationally that the union “punches way above its weight” on solidarity projects. “As IMPACT members, we should be really proud that we have this resource to support workers in the Americas, Africa and Asia,” he said.

 

PSI is the global federation of public service unions. It represents 650 unions, including IMPACT, with a collective membership of over 20 million workers.

 

For more on this story click HERE to listen to our Audio Bulletin (the PSI story begins at 08:43).

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