Quality Public Services key to Sustainable Economic Solutions

Landmark International Conference Brings Together Private and Public Sector Workers, Government and Civil Society Leaders

GENEVA, October 11, 2010 - The financial sector and its boosters are deflecting blame for global
financial and economic crises and making public sector workers the primary
scapegoats, in countries worldwide. However, trade unions, political and
civil society leaders are uniting to counter the financial lobby and rapidly
advance sustainable economic solutions that build peaceful, equitable
societies.

Answers to the global economic crisis can include things as simple as
providing quality public early childhood education. Evidence backing this and
other innovative responses to current social challenges will be presented at
the landmark "Quality Public Services - Action Now!" conference, 12-14
October in Geneva, Switzerland.

The 400 international conference participants will contribute to a
charter and action plan for a new Council of Global Unions' campaign that
promotes investment in quality public services as the best way to protect and
create jobs for economic recovery, address poverty and inequity, and build
environmentally-sustainable, secure and democratic societies.

Kumi Naidoo, leader of Greenpeace International and co-chair of the
Global Call to Action Against Poverty, will provide the keynote address.
Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union
Confederation, Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, chief executive officer of Green For
All (USA), and Richard Samans, managing director of the World Economic Forum,
are also among the dozens of prestigious guest speakers.

Stephanie Smith, Child Care Human Resources Sector Council of Canada
executive member, will explain how the province of Quebec's investment in
providing universal access to quality public child care has reduced poverty
rates by almost half, increased the number of women in the workforce to the
highest level in the country, and been recouped immediately in large part
through increased taxes collected from working parents.

Speakers will also address the need for stronger financial regulations,
and progressive taxation policies - including an international financial
transaction tax - that are tied to accountable public funding decision-making
processes.

The Quality Public Services - Action Now! conference is sponsored by the
Council of Global Unions, representing more than 176 million working people
worldwide.

For the full programme and list of speakers, please see
www.QPSconference.org

Media contact: Teresa Marshall Mobile: +33-6-19-17-60-50, teresa.marshall at world-psi.org. Mathieu Debroux Mobile: +32-476-62-10 18 mathieu.debroux at ituc-csi.org