WHEREAS:
Public workers have delivered the majority of governmental services to the people of the United States and its various states, counties, and municipalities with pride and efficiency since those services were established; and

WHEREAS:
Public workers who have achieved the right to jobs with justice through collective bargaining, and those who do not yet have bargaining rights, have witnessed erosion of those jobs through privatization; and

WHEREAS:
While privatization has been advertised as a cost savings to the public, it has been used by some politicians to avoid facing up to the need for increased revenues, as a cover-up for managerial ineptitude, or to reward political supporters; and

WHEREAS:
Privatization often replaces jobs with fair wages and benefits with jobs of lower pay and diminished benefits without improving the quality of services; and

WHEREAS:
The lack of management competency results in poor work practices and processes that politicians want to replace with subcontractors; and

WHEREAS:
Privatization of public services to private companies, who are committed to generating profit and not providing necessary public service, has, in the long run, cost more, delivered less service, and lacked accountability in essential public services such as transportation, housing, education, health care, and others; and

WHEREAS:
Politicians often campaign against government in order to get elected and proclaim privatization as an effective tool for better government; and
 
WHEREAS:
The image of public service is damaged by misinformation and lack of understanding of the complexities of government operation; and

WHEREAS:
Those elected officials and public sector managers who advocate contracting out ignore the desire and ability of public workers to reduce costs and improve services.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME and its affiliates actively advocate for federal, state, and local legislation that would prohibit federal, state, and local government agencies and entities from contracting out public services that are, or have been, performed by AFSCME or other government workers.
 
 
SUBMITTED BY:  
Claude Fort, President and Delegate
AFSCME Local 375, Council 37
New York