WDM is an outstanding organisation - independent, clever in its campaigning, meticulous in its research, and angry. Its important work deserves our support.
John Pilger, author and activist
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Universal access to basic services and their adequate regulation are under threat with the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), part of the World Trade Organisation's package of legally binding rules on global trade.
The World Development Movement (WDM) believes that GATS spells bad news for people, especially those in poor countries. For poor countries, GATS is another barrier in their efforts to break the vicious cycle of poverty. The world's services are up for grabs and rich country governments and corporations are busy snapping up the best bargains from around the world.
Since the start of WDM's campaign, GATS has moved from an obscure issue that no-one had heard of, to the political centre-stage.
Detailed information about GATS is available on the WDM UK website. Here are highlights from WDM Scotland's contribution to the campaign.
2004 to present
In the run up to World Water Day on 22 March 2004, WDM Scotland put pressure on the Scottish Parliament to take a stance against the inclusion of water in GATS. Labour MSP Sarah Boyack submitted a motion on water to coincide with World Water Day. Many WDM local groups were also lobbying their MPs/MSPs, and a media stunt was pulled off right outside the Scottish Parliament, attracting coverage in the Sunday Herald.
Action around World Water Day prompted Scotland's First Minister, Jack McConnell to answer a few questions. In response to Sarah Boyack's concerns over GATS and Scottish water, McConnell gave a "categorical assurance" that Scottish Water would remain a public corporation.
While this is positive news for Scottish water provision, the role of GATS with respect to water services in developing nations remains unclear. While the First Minister stated the UK's commitment to increase international aid, helping to provide clean water supplies and infrastructure for the developing world, the situation with GATS is still vague. We call on the Scottish and UK governments to take a stance against the inclusion of water in GATS.
Read our World Water Day 2004 press release.
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WDM World Water Day Stunt: Sarah Boyack MSP joins WDM's campaign to gain support for her parliamentary motion on water and GATS, March 2004. |
2003
Robert Giuseppi, a trade union leader from Trinidad and Tobago, arrived in Scotland in February 2003. His visit was a part of a UK tour to highlight our campaign on GATS.
Mr Giuseppi is president of the largest trade union in Trinidad and Tobago, and travelled to the UK to highlight his own successful campaign against water privatisation. However, the EU is currently pushing the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to offer up its water services for GATS liberalisation.
On 13 March 2003 campaigners in Glasgow and Edinburgh joined others across the UK and Europe in a GATS day of action. WDM Scotland circulated questions on our GATS campaign to all candidates in the Scottish Parliament Election. Many responded positively, along with 70 members who signed GATS motions in the last Parliamentary session, showing support in the new Parliament.
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Robert Giuseppi speaks at a public meeting in Glasgow, February 2003. |
2002
On 16 January 16 2002, WDM ran a seminar in the Scottish Parliament which attracted MSPs, trade unionists, local authorities and a range of civil society groups to hear the details of how GATS could impact on health policy here and in the poorest countries. A further Parliamentary seminar in November brought another packed room to hear Principal Andrew Hamnett of Strathclyde University outline the risks GATS could pose to public provision of higher education.
In February 2002, Universities Scotland (the umbrella group for universities and colleges) expressed strong concern over "a number of substantial risks involved in further liberalisation of this sort".
A packed fringe meeting (defying blizzard conditions outside) at the Scottish Labour Conference in Perth heard how the liberalisation of service sectors could impact on jobs and public services in Scotland. This was followed by packed events at the STUC and Scottish Liberal Democrat conferences in April and at the SNP conference in September.
By Autumn 2002 three Scottish local authorities had passed resolutions on GATS (West Dunbartonshire, Stirling and Edinburgh) with others holding discussions. COSLA (Consortium of Scottish Local Authorities) also expressed its concern.
In November 2002 a further GATS motion was launched in the Scottish Parliament by Helen Eadie MSP, drawing attention to the Government consultation paper issued by the Westminster Government and pushing for a debate in the Chamber on the implications of GATS. 34 MSPs signed.
2000 - 2001
In 2000, 58 MSPs signed a Motion in the Scottish Parliament calling for an open discussion of the implications of GATS for health and other services in Scotland. That's more than half of the MSPs eligible to sign such Motions.
WDM Scotland made a submission to the Public Petitions Committee of the Scottish Parliament, calling for the Health and Community Care Committee of the Parliament to examine the matter. The petition was discussed on 19 December 2000 and the Petitions Committee accepted the argument that GATS impacted upon Scotland and so was a matter for the Scottish Parliament to discuss. The petition was sent on to the Health and Community Care Committee - who have drafted a report but are still deliberating on the matter!
The STUC (Scottish Trade Union Congress) has passed a resoution supporting WDM's campaign and expressing "alarm at the continuing secretive process" of GATS.
The SNP General Council has called for a full investigation into the potential effects of GATS on Scotland's public services (and every single SNP MSP signed motion 607 calling for a public debate on GATS).
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WDM and People and Planet demonstrate in Glasgow. |
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