STAL Declaration to stop privatisation of water in Portugal

A declaration from STAL (National Trade Union of Local Administration in Portugal) has been sent out to stop privatisation of water, in particular the water company Aguas do Portugal (AdP); in Portugal the largest water company servicing 8 million people and employing over 5000 workers.

In their declaration they criticize government, saying the privatisation policy will not only lead to loss of revenue for the public authorities, which now controls AdP, but it will also lead to loss of public control over this essential service and destruct the well-functioning company. Last year AdP had a profit of nearly 80 million euros of which 27 million went to local and regional governments, so directly back to the public.

Evidence shows that privatisation and profit oriented private companies will increase pressure on workers and working conditions and seek to reduce their wages. At the same time private enterprises make people depend on their ability to pay for this service, reducing their ‘human right to water’ to something only for those who can pay for it, thus increasing inequality among the population. But as governments remain responsible for providing water services, it means that only the profits will transfer to private hands, whereas obligations such as investments in the infrastructure and support for the low incomes still have to come from government.

Privatization will undoubtedly mean that AdP will come in hands of a large multinational that will take control over all aspects of the service to make sure the profit rate will go up, this way taking money out of Portugal.

Résumé en français: DÉCLARATION STAL (Syndicat national de la fonction publique au Portugal)  POUR ARRÊTER LA PRIVATISATION DE L'EAU AU PORTUGAL

Une déclaration de STAL au Portugal a été diffusée pour arrêter la privatisation de l'eau, en particulier la société Aguas do Portugal (AdP), la plus grande société de service de l'eau desservant 8 millions de personnes et emploient plus de 5000 salariés.

Dans leur déclaration, STAL critique le gouvernement, affirmant que la politique de privatisation fera non seulement perdre des recettes pour les pouvoirs publics, qui contrôle désormais l'AdP, mais mènera également à une perte de contrôle public sur ce service essentiel et détruire la société qui fonctionne bien. L'année dernière, AdP a dégagé un bénéfice de près de 80 millions d'euros, duquel 27 millions sont allés aux gouvernements locaux et régionaux, et donc directement vers le public.

La privatisation voudra dire sans aucun doute que AdP sera dans les mains d'une grande multinationale qui prendra le contrôle de tous les aspects du service en s'assurant que le taux de profit montera, avec le risque qu'un partie de l'argent sort du Portugal.