Unions Reject
"Stealth Privatization" of Region's Transit
(TORONTO)
Outside of today's Metrolinx board meeting, union members protested
against any possible attempts at "stealth privatization" of
Toronto's public transit agencies and launched a new web site tracking
instances of corporate greed and gouging.
The Toronto
& York Region Labour Council and unions representing transit
operators, public-sector employees, steelworkers and other workers from
across the region called the protest at the Metronlinx board meeting to
draw attention to the pitfalls of privatization of public services.
The protest was timed to fend off consideration of a Metronlinx management
report calling for local transit agencies to consider private-public
options for all transit expansions funded by the province. The
report, which had been first submitted to the Metrolinx board at its
January 2008 meeting, was removed from today's agenda in advance of the
protests by labour.
Amidst the
backdrop of a giant Trojan Horse, over forty union members carried signs
warning of the pitfalls of corporate greed when mixed with public services
and warned of possible stealth moves to requiring new transit projects be
run through private-public partnerships.
John
Cartwright, president of the Toronto & York Region Labour Council,
said at a rally following the protest that the "failures of
private-public transit in cities like London England should serve as
warnings to Toronto." Cartwright cited how over $1 billion was
spent on consultant and legal fees alone, before the London Tube's
Metronet private-public partnership collapsed and had to be bailed out
using public funds to the tune of nearly $4 billion.
Stories of
Metronet's collapse and of recent moves by Canadian private transit
operators to purchase transit vehicles from outside of Canada are
highlighted as part of the newly launched GreedWatch.ca website.
According to Cartwright, GreedWatch.ca was launched during today's rally
in order to make the point that corporations motivated by greed are not
suitable partners for providing public services. "GreedWatch.ca
will expose examples of greed and corporate gouging, including stories of
price fixing, corporate waste and failed public-private
partnerships," said Cartwright.
The Toronto
& York Region Labour Council is a central labour body that combines
the strength of hundreds of local unions representing 195,000 working men
and women and their families. Its mandate is to organize and advocate on
issues that are vital to working people throughout the region.
