News

On 17^th February the draft policy recommendations of the research project on the privatization of public services and the impact on quality, employment and productivity (Pique project financed by the European Commission) were presented in the European Parliament. Employers, Employees organizations and the European Commission were invited to discuss the results of the study with the researchers, as well as to share their experiences on privatization and liberalization. UNI Post & Logistics took part in the meeting to discuss issuers pertaining to employment and liberalization and privatization of postal services.



The recommendations of this research fundamentally support the arguments of European Trade Unions concerning privatization and liberalization.

The following information was shared with participants: liberalization of the market and privatization of former public monopolies don’t automatically lead to more competition but rather to merges, diversification and cost-cutting. There is also no link between privatization and better service provision; but privatization rather leads to outsourcing and concentration. This underlines the need for the European Union to consider introducing universal public-service obligations in order to guarantee them in the same quality everywhere.



Regarding the quality of employment, the researchers found out, that privatization doesn’t create an extension of workforce, nor better jobs. The increase in atypical and precarious employment and the emergence of two-tier labour relations systems can be observed.



In summary there is a need for good and safe working conditions to guarantee a common level of playing field before market liberalization, as well as stronger monitoring and better regulation of privatizations by stakeholders, and changes to compete on quality and not on wages.



UNI Post&Logistics is looking into this research project and is in contact with the project leaders. The final conference of the PIQUE Project will take place the 24^th April in Vienna.

The research and the policy papers, as well as information about the 24^th April Conference are available at: www.pique.at