NATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST PRIVATIZATION

WHEREAS, AFT is dedicated to representing the concerns and issues of public employees at all levels of government; and

WHEREAS, nationally, locally and on state levels, government is seeking to "reinvent government"; and

WHEREAS, "reinventing government" includes the attempt to privatize public services; and

WHEREAS, numerous studies and reports have shown that privatization frequently costs more rather than saves taxpayers' money; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of companies promoting and seeking privatization opportunities is to make a profit from public services and taxpayers' money; and

WHEREAS, the reduction of public employee wages and benefits is a common result of the privatization of public services; and

WHEREAS, the privatization of public services results in a declining quality of work, loss of accountability, reduced investment in people, diminished public debate, increased sex and race discrimination, loss of adequate control of services provided to the public, and further isolation of the least advantaged; and

WHEREAS, government bureaucracies are an important avenue of social and economic mobility for racial minorities, as well as other ethnic minorities:

RESOLVED, that privatization must continue to be actively and aggressively opposed; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT must continue to educate elected officials at all levels of government of the shortcomings and problems associated with privatization; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT continue to actively mobilize all members of all constituency areas, continue to provide the highest standard of quality and efficiency of services to the public and to participate in the fight to oppose privatization at all levels of government.