which we function, they Gelderen accept that a balance be struck between income generation, While New Labour, under the especially for re-investment. leadership of Tony Blair, is moving helter-skelter to and to provoka and pricis embrace privatisation, the of goods and services.
terein lies the fundamental South African trade unions are difference between the puak mounting a full-blooded attack and private sectors. The on privatisation. nature of private ownership federations, the Confederation aktates that greer and creater profe for the share. of South African Trade Unions holding minority must always Council of Trade Unions necessity come at the cost of (NACTU) are threatening strike action against the ANC lesser services, fewer jobs or higher prices for the majority led government's increasing which demonstrates these outlining their position, they realities, is the story of what happened to municipal ser. imagine "that one form of vices in Buenos Aires. The ownership is inherently more water and seware system in or less efficient than another" That is the position of most of the Argentine capital was anded over in 1993 to Suez Any enterprise or service, year contract. especially on a large scale.
This French enterprise has our worker with corn skills, infrastructure, financial been actvely loodying for capital and a management sys- water and waste contracts on South Africa and other devel. tem. Ownership may or may oping countries. As a result not have a bearing on any o Were have been two "evaluaEfficiency should never be proups of South African local confused with profitability. Such profitability is only a mea- government official, They retumed enthusiastic. Not sure of how efficient an enter- only was the firm making great prise is in creating wealth for its owners. proms, out apparenty servies This is the essence of the had burgeoned But, on May 3 a report was trikie down economics: the theory that the richer the rich the Buenos Aires experimene become, the more wealth will had been anything but an unal. weaith will trickle down to the poor. The fact that there is no The report, compiled by the Municipal Services Project evidence that this actually hap (MSP) after a six-week survey pens - and indeed rather the in Buenos Aires, is highly criticontrary nus not deferred it cal of this supposed flagship of supporters- to the chagrin of privatisation. The researchers the trade union movemene.
discovered that the greater trade unions is that such prof. number of water and sewage connections had little to do itability often comes at great with more service provision. More connections came lower wages and the marginal.
under the control of the firm Isation of "unprofitable" comwhen the municipal boundmunities.
Varies were extended.. Existing those organised in COSATU Most unions, and certainly water and waste connections and NACTU federations. were smpty sooed to the 1g Tunes. therefor oppose privatisation The MSP report and the while supporting the concept of efficier ncy. up by the unions as further evi.
This is the basis for the strike against privatisation. solution. It will form part of the basis for renewed argu.
Simply put, the union postments with the government In particular, the unions will the best and most efficient be attacking what they have means be used to provide dubbed the TINA (There is goods and services to the No Alternative) syndrome. greatest benefit of those who The promocion de this idea is most reouire them. A well resourced and managed public self-serving. Instead they are sector woull be the best way of acrieving trg.: develoo a FAAF (Find Ar This does not mean that the Nternative Fast) syndrome! unions eschew profit. Because of the economic system in
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