Time to protect Utilities in Ireland fom the Friends of the IMF

What deregulation means

In the “free” market in electricity, grabbing water systems was a sure bet: Governments had already paid for the pipes and the market is captive, customers undeserved and thirsty.  Thatcher’s England led the way with the first privatizations. In Britain, water bills shot up astronomically for consumers .

Once deregulation comes rest assured gas ,water and the cost of electric  services will rise in an ever upward spiral

Enron Purchase of the Buenos Aires water system in Argentina province.

Workers were fired en masse, allowing Enron to pocket their pay, in violation of the company’s solemn promises to invest. Without maintenance workers, water mains were left broken. Enron’s profitable neglect of the system left water contaminated.

“Maintaining our water infrastructure in public ownership is of major importance for future generations. It is essential that we ensure that this asset is maintained under democratic control and not allowed to fall into the hands of those who would wish to exploit this resource for private profit at the expense of the public interest,” said Jack O’Connor, president of Services industrial professonal and technical union (SIPTU).

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Michael Wall, said: “The alliance will focus on the role of staff in the new company and highlighting the consequences for the country if the process of privatisation of water services is continued.

“The unions will develop a joint policy and actions across the country as the efforts to reduce public ownership of water services is rolled out.”

The unions involved in the new alliance are SIPTU, UNITE and the TEEU.

and

What IMF loans mean

Take the case of Ecuador

While trying to pay down the mountain of IMF obligations, Ecuador foolishly “liberalized” its tiny financial market, cutting local banks loose from government controls and letting private debt and interest rates explode. Who pushed Ecuador into all of the nonsense why none other than the IMF so their corporate friends could benefit

Statement from SIPTU Ireland

Maintaining our water infrastructure in public ownership is of major importance for future generations. It is essential that we ensure that this asset is maintained under democratic control and not allowed to fall into the hands of those who would wish to exploit this resource for private profit at the expense of the public interest,” said Jack O’Connor, president of Services industrial professional and technical union (SIPTU).

Don’t turn the tap off and let the IMF benefit from Ireland’s utilities

 

IMF image produced by Alec Foley