Privatization

Privatization is Not The Answer.

Privatization seems smart until you dig into what actually has to happen.

A large investment in social services to deal with the influx of unemployment.
A vendor willing to take the job at a reduced rate because we’re trying to save money: one either desperate enough to take it, or big enough to absorb the loss. The former earns $400,000 fines when they can’t deliver (that happened in Winnipeg). The latter gets fined too, but they don’t care as long as the stock price holds.

These (among others) were reasons why the City of Toronto, when faced with their own privatization choice, decided that “the best value and lowest risk is to continue with the (public) model.”

The adage “haste makes waste,” is particularly true when it comes to outsourcing black cart waste management services, it is not a decision that should be made lightly. Privatization is a complicated process, and it is not the answer for managing service quality or efficiency and has mixed results on overall cost savings.

Calgary residents oppose privatization

Overall, more residents oppose general privatization of government services, by a margin of 41% to 34% who support.

About half of those who oppose privatization feel the City is doing a good job.

Others think privatization will cost taxpayers more in the end, and that services by the private sector lack accountability and transparency when it is run by the City.

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The standard technique of privatization is to defund something, break it, make people angry, and hand it off to private equity.

Noam Chomsky

American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist

Privatization puts the city’s essential services in the hands of people whose only purpose is to maximize profits.

This becomes a problem when they face an either/or scenario that pits what’s good for the city against what’s good for their bottom line because they’ll have a fiduciary obligation to pursue the latter. They’ll be fine. Their investors will be fine. And you’ll suffer.

It will cost you direct access to the people rely on to make Calgary a place you want to call home.

Let City Council know there is a better way.

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CUPE Local 37
5112 3rd Street SE Calgary, Alberta T2H 1J6
Phone: 403-269-5333
Email: cupe37@cupe37.ca
Website: https://cupe37.ca

CUPE Local 38
1439 - 9th Ave SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0T4
Phone: 403-233-2700
Email: office@cupe38.org
Website: https://www.cupe38.org

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