Key details
Dr Vera Weghmann
Research Fellow for PSIRU
Vera joined the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU) at the University of Greenwich in September 2017. Her research is focused on public services, in particular privatisation, remunicipalisation, renationalisation, public sector financing and public sector reforms. While her research covers a wide range of public services across the world, she has focused on waste management and the circular economy, energy policy and the Just Transition as well as public transport. Her regional focuses have been Europe and Africa. Currently she is working on a research project analysing the lessons and opportunities of Covid19 for developing new approaches to public services.
Vera is also a member of the Centre for Research in Employment and Work (CREW) at the University of Greenwich. Her research is concerned with unemployment, unwaged and low-waged work, precarity and workers resistance. In her PhD entitled titled 'Employability and the Rise of the No-Wage Economy: resistance to unpaid work in the United Kingdom' she explored the ways in which unwaged and unrecognised workers organise. Her current research project is independent trade unionism and new ways of organising and recently (2019) won a BA/Leverhulme small grant. Vera's research follows a Participatory Action Research methodology.
Vera has been involved in independent trade unionism in the UK since 2012, she is the co-founder of the United Voices of the Word union and has been involved in the creation of the Independent Workers of Great Britain union.
Research / Scholarly interests
- Public Services
- Privatisation
- Renationalisation/Remunicipalisation
- Public Services Reforms
- Financing Public Services
- Democratising Public Services
- International State Settlement Disputes (ISDS) and Compensation
- Covid-19 and Economic and Social Recovery
- Unemployment
- Precarity
- Unwaged and low waged workers resistance
Recent publications
Article
Weghmann, Vera and , (2023), The tail that wags the dog: lessons from London’s independent trade unions for class struggle trade unionism. Emerald. In: , , , . Emerald, Employee Relations ISSN: 0142-5455 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-01-2022-0046).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2022), Theorising practice: independent trade unions in the UK. Bristol University Press. In: , , , . Bristol University Press, Work in the Global Economy, 2 (1) . pp. 132-147 2732-4176 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1332/273241721X16510573048560).
Weghmann, Vera and , Hall, David (2021), The unsustainable political economy of investor–state dispute settlement mechanisms. SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, International Review of Administrative Science, 87 (3) . pp. 480-496 ISSN: 0020-8523 (Print), 1461-7226 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208523211007898).
Lobina, Emanuele and , Weghmann, Vera (2020), Commentary: the perils and promise of inter-paradigmatic dialogues on remunicipalisation. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, Journal of Economic Policy Reform, 24 (3) . pp. 398-404 ISSN: 1748-7870 (Print), 1748-7889 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17487870.2020.1810473).
Lobina, Emanuele , Weghmann, Vera, Marwa, Marwa (2019), Water justice will not be televised: Moral advocacy and the struggle for transformative remunicipalisation in Jakarta. Water Alternatives Association. In: , , , . Water Alternatives Association, Water Alternatives, 12: 7 (2) . pp. 725-748 1965-0175 (Online) (doi: http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol12/v12issue3/534-a12-2-17).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2019), The making and breaking of solidarity between unwaged and waged workers in the UK. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, Globalizations, 16 (4) . pp. 441-456 ISSN: 1474-7731 (Print), 1474-774X (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2018.1558819) NB Item availability restricted.
Book
Weghmann, Vera and , (2021), Daseinsvorsorge und Rekommunalisierung. Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. In: , , , . Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Berlin (1st) . ISBN: 9783948250386 (doi: https://www.rosalux.de/fileadmin/images/Dossiers/Wohnen/Broschur_Rekommunalisierung_web.pdf).
Book section
Weghmann, Vera and , (2020), Africa: Private waste service failure and alternative vision. Transnational Institute (TNI). In: , , , The Future is Public: Towards Democratic Ownership of Public Services. Transnational Institute (TNI), Transnational Institute (TNI) . pp. 79-93 (doi: https://futureispublic.org/).
Conference item
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), The political economy of compensation for nationalisation or municipalisation: national and international law and practice, and the implications for potential (re)nationalisation in the UK and elsewhere. In: 13th ECPR General Conference Wrocław, 4 - 7 September 2019, 4th - 7th Sep, 2019, The University of Wrocław, Poland , . , . pp. 1-50 (doi: https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/CustomContent/GeneralConference/2019/ProgrammePDF/ECPRGeneralConference2019.pdf).
Monograph
Weghmann, Vera , Lobina, Emanuele, Adam, Al-Hassan (2024), French early child education and care companies. European Public Service Union (EPSU). In: , , , . European Public Service Union (EPSU), Brussels; London (1st) (doi: https://www.epsu.org/sites/default/files/article/files/French%20Early%20Child%20care%20EPSU%20report.pdf).
Ballardie, Ruth , Tartanaglu-Bennett, Safak, Weghmann, Vera (2023), Mental health and public sector healthcare: international case studies. Public Services International (PSI). In: , , , . Public Services International (PSI), Geneva, Switzerland (1st) (doi: https://publicservices.international/resources/digital-publication/mental-health-and-public-sector-healthcare-international-case-studies?id=14371&lang=en).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2023), Waste management in Europe. EPSU. In: , , , . EPSU, (doi: https://www.epsu.org/sites/default/files/article/files/Waste%20Management%20in%20Europe_EN_1.pdf).
Adam, Alhassan , Castro, Esteban, Hall, David, Kichimoto, Satoko , Nguye, Jenny , Sankey, Kyla , Weghmann, Vera (2021), Narrative change and public services spending and provision - Final report. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, London, University of Greenwich (1st) (doi: https://www.psiru.org/about-us.html).
Lobina, Emanuele , Weghmann, Vera, Nicke, Katrin (2019), Water remunicipalisation in Paris, France and Berlin, Germany. PSIRU, University of Greenwich. In: , , , . PSIRU, University of Greenwich, Greenwich (doi: https://www.gre.ac.uk/business/research/centres/public-services).
Other
Weghmann, Vera and , Lobina, Emanuele (2018), Water Renationalisation in Cameroon 2018. Public Services International. In: , , , . Public Services International, (doi: https://www.world-psi.org/sites/default/files/attachment/news/cameroon_water_renationalised_psiru_brief_may_2018.pdf) NB Item availability restricted.
Weghmann, Vera and , (2017), Waste Management in Europe. Good Jobs in the Circular Economy?. European Public Service Union. In: , , , . European Public Service Union, (doi: ).
Working paper
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2024), Extraction of excess dividends by energy grid companies. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, London, UK (doi: https://www.gre.ac.uk/research/psiru).
Weghmann, Vera , Hall, David, Nguyen, Tue Anh (2021), Lessons from Covid 3: healthcare systems and supply chains. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Hall, David (2021), Lessons from Covid 1: Key lessons. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Hall, David (2021), Lessons from Covid 2: Why some countries did worse than expected. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), University of Greenwich, Chatham, UK (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2020), Taking our Public Services Back in House: A Remunicipalisation Guide for Workers and Trade Unions. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, Public Services International (PSI) (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2020), Safe Jobs in the Circular Economy: Health and Safety in Waste and Wastewater Management. European Public Service Union (EPSU). In: , , , . European Public Service Union (EPSU), European Public Service Union (EPSU) (doi: ).
Hall, David , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Weghmann, Vera (2020), Economic recovery into a better world. Mapping COVID-19: PSIRU working papers for PSI. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, University of Greenwich (doi: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/cgi/search/archive/advanced?screen=Search&dataset=archive&_action_search=Search&eprintid=&documents_merge=ALL&documents=&title_merge=ALL&title=&creators_name_merge=ALL&creators_name=&abstract_merge=ALL&abstract=&date=&keywords_merge=ALL&keywords=&divisions=bus_rg3&divisions_merge=ANY&subjects_merge=ANY&type=working_paper&department_merge=ALL&department=&editors_name_merge=ALL&editors_name=&publisher_merge=ALL&publisher=&refereed=EITHER&publication_merge=ALL&publication=¬e_merge=ALL¬e=&official_url_merge=ALL&official_url=&datestamp=&creators_id_merge=ALL&creators_id=&satisfyall=ALL&order=-date%2Fcreators_name%2Ftitle).
Tue Anh, Nguyen , Weghmann, Vera, Hall, David (2020), COVID-19: Country case studies. Mapping COVID: PSIRU working papers for PSI. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, University of Greenwich (doi: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/cgi/search/archive/advanced?screen=Search&dataset=archive&_action_search=Search&eprintid=&documents_merge=ALL&documents=&title_merge=ALL&title=&creators_name_merge=ALL&creators_name=&abstract_merge=ALL&abstract=&date=&keywords_merge=ALL&keywords=&divisions=bus_rg3&divisions_merge=ANY&subjects_merge=ANY&type=working_paper&department_merge=ALL&department=&editors_name_merge=ALL&editors_name=&publisher_merge=ALL&publisher=&refereed=EITHER&publication_merge=ALL&publication=¬e_merge=ALL¬e=&official_url_merge=ALL&official_url=&datestamp=&creators_id_merge=ALL&creators_id=&satisfyall=ALL&order=-date%2Fcreators_name%2Ftitle).
Weghmann, Vera , Nguyen, Tue Anh, Hall, David (2020), Lessons from COVID-19. Mapping COVID: PSIRU working papers for PSI August 2020. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, PSIRU (doi: https://www.gre.ac.uk/business/research/centres/public-services/reports).
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), Public ownership, benefits and compensation I: benefits of nationalisation of UK water and energy girds and legal and economic issues in determining compensation. PSIRU. In: , , , . PSIRU, (doi: https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/16d1041d-ba93-46dc-b894-977a3fa9b698.pdf).
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), Public ownership, benefits and compensation II: Pension funds and employee ownership of water and energy grid companies. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), (doi: ).
Hall, David and , Weghmann, Vera (2019), Public ownership, benefits and compensation III: the potential risk of legal action under BITs or ECT over compensation for nationalisation of water and energy grid companies. Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU). In: , , , . Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), (doi: ).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2019), Going Public: A Decarbonised, Affordable and Democratic Energy System for Europe. European Public Service Union (EPSU). In: , , , . European Public Service Union (EPSU), Brussels, Belgium (doi: https://www.epsu.org/article/going-public-decarbonised-affordable-and-democratic-energy-system-europe-new-epsu-report).
Weghmann, Vera and , (2019), People’s Public Transport Policy. Public Financing. International Transport Workers' Federation. In: , , , . International Transport Workers' Federation, (doi: https://www.itfglobal.org/en/sector/urban-transport/people%E2%80%99s-public-transport-policy-).
Weghmann, Vera and , Van Niekerk, Sandra (2018), Municipal solid waste management services in Africa and Arab countries. Public Services International (PSI). In: , , , . Public Services International (PSI), (doi: http://www.world-psi.org/en/municipal-solid-waste-management-services-africa-and-arab-countries).