We are happy to share PSIRU\u2019s Review of the Year\u2014 an overview of everything that we\u2019ve been working on in 2021. You can read about the key issues in public services our research has focussed on: closing the gender pay gap in public services, global narratives around public services, public ownership in transport (a case study of TfL), getting to net zero in public services and privatisation in central government. We\u2019ve also published shorter articles presenting an anti-privatisation, pro-public services perspective on topics in national debates on the energy crisis and the sewage scandal. All our reports, publications and news articles can be found on our blog, at: blogs.gre.ac.uk\/psiru\/. Below, we\u2019ve chosen some of the highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In January, we presented a major report<\/a> looking at how austerity has disproportionately affected women\u2019s pay in public services in EU countries. The report was part of the EU social dialogue project, involving a partnership with Fondazione ADAPT\/ADAPT Foundation; Stredoeur\u00f3psky in\u0161tit\u00fat pre v\u00fdskum pr\u00e1ce\/Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI); University of Greenwich and the European Public Services Union (EPSU). The report led to a further report<\/a> for the Scottish Government exploring and evaluating international mechanisms that aim to revalue or result in the revaluation of women\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We drew on expertise from scholars and activists in various countries to produce a report<\/a> on global experiences in Narrative change and Public Services Spending and Provision<\/em>. The research, funded by the Open Society Foundation (OSF), identified various narratives and understandings globally around how public services should be owned and run. PSIRU and the Institute for Innovation and Public Policy at UCL are jointly organizing a global online conference in 2022<\/strong> on the same theme. It will bring together leading academics and social movement and trade union activists.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n As part of the International Transport Workers Federation\u2019s People\u2019s Public Transport Project, we presented a report<\/a> on Public Ownership and Democratic Governance in Transport for London<\/em>. The report is part of a series that aims to gather case studies identifying models for public operation and democratic governance of public transport that go beyond defending public ownership by promoting operation and democratic control by workers and users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At COP 26 we launched a report<\/a> for UNISON titled Getting to net zero in UK public services: The road to decarbonisation<\/em>. The report, written in collaboration with Transition Economics, examines the measures and costs necessary for public services to meet climate targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We produced a report for the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) examining the forms and drivers of privatisation and outsourcing in central government. The report provided an overview of trends in privatisation as well as examples of preventing privatisation and promoting quality, transparent public administration. The report provided the background for the EU Social Dialogue Committee for central government administrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As part of the sixth Global Report on Local Democracy and Decentralization (GOLD VI) we produced a paper<\/a> on Access to quality local public services as a precondition to beat inequality. The paper explores emerging trends in local public services delivery, including public, public-community and communing approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PSIRU in the News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In September, as the UK faced a crisis in its energy supply, we published articles in the Guardian<\/a> and in The Conversation<\/a> that we could face these challenges much more easily if the UK\u2019s energy suppliers were publicly owned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n