Public welfare under market governance

Monday March 2nd:

09.00 – 10.00: Registration, coffee and fruit

10.00 – 10.30: Opening session
Jan Davidsen, President, Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees

10.30 – 12.30: The Conquer of Public Services by the Market
Kjell Arne Røvik, Professor, University of Tromsø

Public Services – A Project of Democratisation
Hillary Wainright, Author and Editor, UK

Is there an Alternative Vision for the Public Sector?
Asbjørn Wahl, National Co-ordinator, Campaign for the Welfare State

12.30 – 13.30: Lunch

13.30 – 15.30: Parallel Seminars

A1: The Teacher – From a Pedagogical profession to a Bureaucrat?
When tests, reporting and control from above is taking over in School.
Sølvi Lillejord, Professor, University of Bergen
Richard Hatcher, Research Director, UK
Hanne Eilhardt Pedersen, Teacher, Lilleaker School, Oslo

A2: Just Figures – or Marketisation in a New Packaging?
Choice of accounting models and indicators is politics. What models are available, and which alternatives promote democratic governance of public services?
Heidi Grande Røys, Minister of Administration
Marianne Andreassen, Director, Government Agency for Financial Management
Bjarne Jensen, Professor, Hedmark University College
Fanny Voldnes, Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO)

A3: NAV: When Welfare meets Workfare
Is it people who should adjust to the labour market, - or the labour market that should adjust to peoples abilities and potentials?
Erik Oftedal, Director, Norwegian Welfare and Labour Administration
Ebba Wergeland, Doctor
Kjetil Hasselø, Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers
Ove Haug, The Welfare Alliance

A4: Governments in all Countries – Privatise!
What is the role of the OECD, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in market expansion?
Tony Clarke, Polaris Institute, Canada
Helene Bank, Special Adviser, Campaign for the Welfare State

15.30 – 16.00: Coffee break

16.00– 18.00: Parallel Seminars

B1: Hospitals – Chronicle of a Crisis Foretold?
Why did Norway choose a reform that New Zealand and Scotland
were already leaving – and what was their alternative?
Roar Eilertsen, Researcher, DeFacto
Audun Lysbakken, Vice President, Socialist Left Party
Bente Øien Hauge, People’s Movement for Local Hospitals
Unni Hagen, Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees

B2: More Democracy, Please – Not Less!
Many communities are experimenting with Participatory Budgeting and Direct Democracy. What are the experiences for citizens and employees?
Hillary Wainright, Author and Editor, UK
Javier Navasques, Sevilla
Einar Braathen, Researcher, NIBR

B3: Public-Private Partnership (PPP) – Solution or Problem?
Are we going to let budgetary methods force privatisation – and should we accept that political priorities are overridden by local PPP-programmes?
David Hall, Director, PSIRU
Bjarne Jensen, Professor, Hedmark University College
Magnus Nilsson, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
Tom Tvedt, County Council Chairman, Rogaland

B4: New Public Management from A to Z
What is New Public Management? We trace its roots back to neo-liberalism, look into the theories behind it, and assess the consequences for the welfare state.
Henrik Herløv Lund, Economic Researcher, Denmark
Norwegian presenter (to be decided).

18.00: End of Day One

Tuesday March 3rd:

09.00 – 10.45: Governance for Welfare – Experiences from at Home and Abroad
Jostein Barstad, Chief Officer, Øvre Eiker municipality
Bente Ohnstad, Assistant Professor, University College of Lillehammer
Andrew Cumbers, Researcher, UK

10.45 – 11.00: Coffee break

11.00 – 13.00: Parallel seminars

C1: Restructuring for Better Quality
Both in the trade union initiated Model Municipalities and in the Government’s Quality Municipalities, employees take centre stage. Does it lead to better quality?
Jostein Barstad, Chief Officer, Øvre Eiker municipality
Anne Grete Krogh, Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees
Hilde Torgersen, Shop Steward, Municipal Workers’ Union, Moss

C2: Public Sector – Profit or Politics?
Experiences of for-profit service delivery in nursery schools,
child care, refugee centres and housing.
Clas Jostein Claussen, Assistant Professor, University College of Oslo
Erling Segelstad, Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers
Cecilie Hansen, Deputy Mayor, Kirkenes municipality

C3: The Public Sector – a Bulkhead against the Financial Crisis?
How does a relatively large public sector effect the development
of the financial crisis – and how will the crisis influence public services?
Rune Skarstein, Assistant Professor, University of Trondheim
Marianne Marthinsen, Member of Parliament, Labour Party
Harald Magnus Andreassen, Chief Economist, First Securities Ltd

C4: Our Common Infrastructure – or Does it Belong to the Market?
Natural monopolies, public-public partnerships (PUP) and in-house services – what should absolutely be kept out of the reach of market forces?
David Boys, Public Services International (PSI)
Tore Lindholt, former Director of the Norwegian Public Welfare Fund
Per Olaf Lundteigen, Member of Parliament, Centre Party

13.00 – 14.00: Lunch

14.00 – 15.00: An Offensive Strategy for a Radical Change in Welfare Politics
Panel discussion with representatives from the government parties, Union leaders and others
Moderator: Asbjørn Wahl, Campaign for the Welfare State

15.00 – 15.30: Closing session
Helga Hjetland, President, Union of Education

Norwegian Campaign for the Welfare State, www.velferdsstaten.no