Berliner Wassertisch beteiligt sich an der Demonstration im Block der Antifracking-Initiativen
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Archiv des Monats: Mai 2014
The perpetuum mobile of privatisation
Andreas Bieler Blogspot
07.05.2014
The perpetuum mobile of privatisation
Von Andreas Bieler
Privatisation is a truly fantastic thing. Privatising public services would result in four benign consequences, we are told: (1) the production of services becomes more efficient and, therefore, cheaper; (2) the quality of the services is improved; (3) the cost of services for the consumer is reduced; and (4) companies providing these services can still make a profit. And this all as a result of private services being subject to the competitive pressures of the free market. Like a perpetuum mobile, a hypothetical machine which continues to function once activated, privatization would have an inevitable and continuing positive impact once implemented. In this post, I will critically evaluate these claims against the background of my research on the Italian water movement against privatisation (see Road to Victory and La lotta continua) and discuss why it is that this discourse continues to enjoy such widespread acceptance, although it is empirically so obviously wrong.
Fighting against water privatisation in Italy: La lotta continua!
Andreas Bieler Blogspot
04.05.2014
Fighting against water privatisation in Italy: La lotta continua!
Von Andreas Bieler
Victory in the 2011 referendum against water privatisation had been emphatic. More than 57 per cent of the Italian electorate cast their vote and both questions related to water had been approved by a majority of more than 95 per cent (see Road to Victory). And yet, those who expected that these decisions, legally binding according to the Italian Constitution, would now be implemented, were disappointed. Based on my interviews with leading activists of the Italian water movement, in this post I will assess the situation since the referendum in 2011.
Fighting against water privatisation in Italy: Road to Victory
Andreas Bieler Blogspot
01.05.2014
Von Andreas Bieler
Against the background of the global and Eurozone financial crises as well as austerity sweeping across Europe, the pressure on privatising public services is immense. The story of the Italian water movement, a broad alliance of social movements and trade unions, which successfully mobilized for a referendum against the privatization of water in June 2011, is a story of hope for alliances involved in resisting privatization elsewhere. From 25 March to 8 April, I conducted a series of interviews with members of this movement. In this post, I will report on the emergence and ultimate success of this movement in the referendum.
Wasserprivatisierung in Thessaloniki
Süddeutsche.de
09.05.2014
Wasserprivatisierung in Thessaloniki. Rein ins kalte Wasser
Im griechischen Thessaloniki wehren sich Bürger gegen die Veräußerung der Wasserwerke an Konzerne. Sie wollen sie kurzerhand selbst kaufen. Und zwar mit Hilfe von Bill Gates.
zum Artikel…
Der Berliner Wassertisch unterstützt die Bürgerinitiative SAVEGREEKWATER!
Zum bevorstehenden Referendum in Thessaloniki schreibt Right2Water:
„Citizens of Thessaloniki prepare for referendum on water“
(8 May 2014) On May 18th, coinciding with the first round of the local elections, the citizens of Thessaloniki have organized themselves a popular referendum to give the chance to the people to express their opinion on the sale of the local publicly owned water company EYATH.
The campaign SOS te Nero, in which the local water union plays a key role, has been mobilizing for this referendum since it was decided on February 17 in an Assembly as the European Parliament was debating the ECI right2water.
The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) is helping to build an international delegation to observe the referendum as well as supporting actions of some of its affiliates that are already organizing actions on May 15 which will be a European day of action in solidarity with the water referendum.“
See the call for a protest in Paris (pdf):
European Milk Board sagt: StopTTIP
Die Position des Bundesverbands deutscher Milchviehhalter ist eindeutig:
European Milk Board sagt: StopTTIP