Public Services International - Definition

Public Services International (PSI) is a global union federation of public sector trade unions. It has 620 affiliated unions, in 147 countries, representing 20 million workers. PSI is an officially recognized non-government organization for the public sector within the International Labour Organization, and has consultative status with the United Nations' ECOSOC and observer status with other UN bodies such as the UNCTAD and UNESCO.

As part of its Quality Public Services campaign, PSI is developing proposals for a General Agreement on Public Services, intended as a balance for the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which it sees as endangering public services. PSI says the campaign's objectives are to ensure public services:

• are adequately resourced, with well trained workers delivering quality services;
• meet social objectives such as the eradication of poverty and the empowerment of people;
• are ethical and corruption-free, and enable societies and economies to operate effectively and equitably;
• provide full rights and decent working conditions for workers.

Example Usage of International