WITH PEACETIME ORGANIZING

Beat Privatization

Beat Privatization v2-VL.ppt

What do we know about privatization?

“…privatization refers to the transfer of any government function to the private sector - including governmental functions like revenue collection and law enforcement.”

-Wikipedia

The extent of the threat – K-12

% of U.S. K-12 school districts with some privatization

Source: NEA ESP Member Surveys: 2002 and 2007

Job Group Percent Job Group Percent

Transportation 30% / 31% Custodial 13% / 13%

Food Service 25% / 24% Health Services

13% / 13%

Security 18% / 17% Paraeducators 12% / 9%

Technical Svcs. 18% / 17% Admin./Clerical 9% / 7%

Skilled Trades 16% / 14%

The extent of the threat - lately

What’s been happening since the deep recession started a few years ago?

Source: Michigan Education Association

The extent of the threat – Higher Ed

% of Higher Ed institutions that had some privatization

Source: NEA ESP Member Surveys 2007

Service Percent Service Percent

Food service 57% Transportation 17%

Skilled trades 29% Security svcs. 16%

Technical services

28% Clerical svcs. 16%

Custodial services

28% Health & Stud. Svcs.

9%

ESP privatization comes in different packages

Selected services- ongoing or one-time

Management onlyTotal contracting out

Some major players

Transportation: First Student – subsidiary of First Group, plc (based in Great Britain), $9.52 billion in sales

Food service: Sodexo, Inc. – subsidiary of Sodexo (based in France), $19.96 billion in salesChartwells – subsidiary of Compass Group, plc (based in Great Britain),  $21.40 billion in sales

Custodial/maintenance: Aramark (based in US), $12.30 billion in sales

Beyond our ESP jobs – in schools

Other services - health, speech, special education, etc.

Vouchers, charter schools

Beyond our ESP jobs - Other govt. services

Parking (Chicago)Toll roadsPrisons - Corrections Corporation of America

Why do they do it?- Cost

Privateers always say they’re going to save money. Why is this often not true?

Why do they do it?- Management issues

Reduce management workload, avoid dealing with in-house problems

Why do they do it?- There’s $$ to be made!

Huge companies are involved

Favoritism/nepotism/corruption

Why do they do it?- To weaken us!

The privatization movement is driven by anti-government, anti-union, anti-public employee ideology

Why is privatization a bad idea?

Our jobsImpact on the quality of

education – we are essential parts of one education workforce that is serving the whole child

Loss of accountability and control, dependency on the contractors

CorruptionCost

When do we start to fight privatization?

The Privatization Continuum

No hint of privatization(prevention)

Complete privatization

(you’re fired!)

Investigation(studies,

proposals)

When do we get involved?

Be proactive – inoculate against the privateers!

Call your UniServ Director right away. Don’t wait until they say “We’re going to privatize you!”

Peacetime organizing- crafting our message

We have power and we can use it

We live hereWe work hereWe vote here

Organize!

Using our power – electoral approaches

One of the best ways to protect ourselves from privatization is to elect school Board members who understand privatization’s dangers and who will support us.

The same is true for state legislators.

Using our power – bargaining approaches

Depending on your state’s bargaining laws, it may be possible to negotiate prohibitions against contracting out, or protections for employees if jobs are contracted out.

It’s a lot easier to bargain good contract language before there’s a privatization threat.

Using our power – legislative/regulatory approaches

WA and IL have laws requiring privateers to provide comparable benefits - these have been very effective

Some states give unions the right to bid on contracts

Some other state and municipal approaches: Prohibit corporate criminals from contracting Require substantial savings Require thorough and accurate cost comparisons Require specific conditions, such as an economic impact

analysis Living wage requirements

Organize!

Water Privatization protest, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Madison, WI, 2-15-11

Presented by