A SIPTU delegation attended a major demonstration in the Place Luxembourg, Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, 23rd March, organised by the European Water Movement to highlight the inaction of the European Commission in relation to safeguarding the public ownership of water. The demonstration marked one year without any action from the European Commission following its so-called 'positive' response to the first successful European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) on the public ownership of water.The ECI petition on safeguarding the public ownership of water received the support of two million citizens.SIPTU Sector Organiser, Brendan O’Brien, said: “SIPTU representatives attended the demonstration on behalf of the many members employed in the provision of public water services. We want to ensure that water services in Ireland remain in public ownership and access to this vital resource is protected as a human right.”He added: “We were also voicing our strong opposition to the inclusion of water services in the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal between the EU and US. If this deal does go ahead and includes water services it will directly threaten public water provision with privatisation.”The European Water Movement is a network that brings together grassroots movements all around Europe whose goal is to reinforce the recognition of water as a commons and as a fundamental universal right.
SIPTU representatives attend demonstration against water privatisation
