AFL-CIO on the WTO

[Max Sawicky]

> One would think that the service sector unions [especially teachers and
> AFSCME] would be foaming at the mouth at the GATS 2000 in the WTO
especially
> with regards to open international bidding on govt. procurement, which
will
> open up all kinds of privatization scams as well as give imprimatur to
even
> stranger education voucher strategies.  The Canadians are way out front on
> this and November should present enormous opportunities for cross border
> strategizing/organizing on this issue.  Funny how progressives are
actually
> being forced to play conservative on some of these issues.
> ian

Procurement is more about buying goods than services, hence
a matter for the manufacturing sector.  I don't think there is much
danger to gov workers from foreign involvement in contracting
out.  Contracting itself is a sufficient bother.

Governments are likely to indulge each other re: competition
for core services of governments for the sake of trade
relations as a whole.

mbs