WHEREAS:

The current fiscal crisis, the worst in many decades, is forcing state and local government officials to make difficult decisions about how best to address revenue shortfalls and increasing expenditure needs; and

WHEREAS:
Increasingly, public sector workers are being portrayed in the right-wing controlled media as highly paid unionists with excessive pay and benefits responsible for the fiscal crisis; and

WHEREAS:
In taking advantage of the current fiscal crisis, right-wing politicians have renewed efforts to use privatization to circumvent civil service systems, due process protections, sunshine laws and other crucial safeguards which ensure honest and open government in order to reward their corporate friends with contracts, while stripping public workers of jobs, union contracts and political power; and

WHEREAS:
Some public officials will use the current fiscal crisis to promote the sale or lease of public water systems and other critical public infrastructure to private investors; and

WHEREAS:
Public sector workers are the backbone of federal, state, county and municipal governments, providing essential services needed by citizens in good times and bad; and

WHEREAS:
AFSCME has long been the leading force fighting privatization through legislative efforts, media outreach, contract negotiations, coalition building and member mobilization; and

WHEREAS:
Privatization often replaces family-sustaining jobs with jobs providing lower pay and diminished benefits, while generating no savings and decreasing service quality. Government accountability and flexibility is sacrificed, while the local economy suffers; and
 
WHEREAS:
Those elected officials and public sector managers who advocate privatization ignore the commitment of public workers to their jobs and their desire, knowledge and ability to reduce costs and improve services.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME continue its leadership in aggressively opposing privatization by educating members, elected officials and the general public about the shortcomings of privatization and the advantages of public sector ownership and delivery of services, and by working in coalitions with other concerned organizations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: 
That AFSCME continue the fight against the privatization of public water systems, public transit systems and other critical public infrastructure; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME continue to advocate for effective laws and regulations that establish the highest standards for the delivery of public services with an emphasis on maintaining cost-effectiveness, quality and openness and that hold private venders to the same standards, including comparable pay and benefits for those employees already privatized.  In addition, these protections should also require state and local government to track and disclose detailed spending on all contracts for services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME continue to employ an aggressive communication strategy emphasizing the value of public services and exposing the folly of costly, less efficient and effective private contracts for services; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME participate, where appropriate, in joint labor-management efforts to improve the cost effectiveness and quality of public services by developing and utilizing the expertise of public workers.
 
 
SUBMITTED BY: 
Brian Stafford, President and Delegate
Richard Abelson, Executive Director and Delegate
AFSCME Council 48
Wisconsin