Globalization of health care, teaching, energy and IT - and much more under the new trade deals

[Baobab]

There are a lot of changes in the pipeline that are going to change the world of work quite a bit. Rather than get emotional about them, I am just going to spell out some of the changes that I know are planned. Basically, we're going to see huge increases in subcontracting in all kinds of businesses, as well as big increases in cross border data flows

Remote office services
telemedicine
teledentistry
construction services
information technology services
financial services
insurance services, including health insurance
water services
energy services
governmental office support services
police services
teaching services:
higher education
k-12
medical services
nursing services
accountancy services
legal services
prison services
gestational surrogacy services
staffing services in all of these

Note: (b) 'services' includes any service in any sector except services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority;

(c) 'a service supplied in the exercise of governmental authority' means any service which is supplied neither on a commercial basis, nor in competition with one or more service suppliers.

[Hoyt]

1. Do you really believe Guatamala, or Vietnam, is going to take over our hospitals or

school systems?

[Baobab]

2. If your question is general and doesnt refer to those two specific countries - but really mean just

developing countries with much lower wages, then the answer is yes. its clear that TiSA countries will be able to win contracts for the delivery of services, WTO is huge but GATS is positive list which is opt in not opt out- so its much more limited- However with some countries

TiSA is opt out. So "all service sectors and modes of supply" are included by default. Unless they are carved out now. There has been a movement in the EU to explicitly carve out areas like health care and education but I hevent heard anything about this here. have you? this is super important, 70% of all jobs are services- it could eventually be many millions of jobs- actually it could be really soon-

All American or other country regulation must be "no more burdensome than necessary to ensure the quality of the service". Thats a legal standard. WTO (or RGFS or whatever) is in charge. We decide we want to have world trade - thats more important than anything else- everything changes. And its irreversible.

Since some hospitals and some schools are private eventually I dont see how government procurement could be done without sending it through these systems legally. Do you? that would be discrimination and you know the presumptive nominee keeps talking about stopping discrimination.

Public health care may be affordable but its also less profitable and it discriminates against foreign corporations to have "family doctors" and "local sourcing" on health care services- It might be more economical to send people with low actuarial value health care to say, india- that might be the only way to give the working poor health care and keep it profitable- we have a system to preserve- remember you cant quarter troops in homes, the system has to be profitable and they can say whatever they want- we don't believe in cost controls- Read up on competition policy- Another important issue is crowd out. If we create public offerings, if they were too attractive they would crowd out private firms-

Read up about World Competition Day. increased competition is one of the main "benefits" of the agreement. Wages here are too high in their world.

If US firms want to win contracts their rank and file employees will likely be globalized subcontractors because of the lower wages- that will be the overseas firms competitive advantage. thats the ideology these trade deals promote.

[Baobab]

3. English speaking countries would be more logical.

Because of the language barrier.

[Hoyt]

4. OK, what is wrong with England running our health "system?"