Accenture is on the move, targeting public services in three provinces. The high-priced contracting out and privatization consulting firm is loose in Ontario, Alberta and BC.
Ontarios Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has contracted with Accenture to conduct an administrative review of the board. The deal was signed despite Accentures continuing disaster with Ontarios social assistance system, as well as other failed reforms in Canada and the United States.
Ontarios provincial auditor criticized Accenture, formerly known as Andersen Consulting, in his report this year. He pointed to serious flaws and major cost overruns that make the project a bad deal for taxpayers. The provincial government has ignored the auditors repeated warnings. The projects price tag sits at more than double the $180 million originally budgeted and its still not finished.
WSIB workers, CUPE 1750 members, have worked hard to fend off privatization by improving service delivery. They will be tackling this latest attempt to downsize and privatize the board.
Accenture is also on the move in Alberta. Here, a successful fight to keep Enmax, Calgarys electrical utility public has turned into a battle to stop back-door privatization. Enmax is negotiating with Accenture to take over the billing and telephone information services for the utility, as well as for water and wastewater services in the city.
CUPE 38 is pushing city council to live up to its pledge to keep all of Enmax public, but the mayor is deferring requests to the unelected chair of the Enmax board. The situation highlights the privatization dangers of creating arms-length utilities.
In BC, Accenture is involved in a scheme that will privatize most of BC Hydros administrative services. The high-priced consultants have also created havoc in Ohio, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Virginia and New Yorks social assistance and social services programs. Nebraskas state auditor called a project to automate social services programs the most wasteful I have ever heard of. Its like pouring money down a deep dark hole. Accenture/Andersens involvement in New Brunswicks social assistance overhaul led to inhuman practices, including policies limiting how many minutes a caseworker could talk to a client.
Ontarios Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has contracted with Accenture to conduct an administrative review of the board. The deal was signed despite Accentures continuing disaster with Ontarios social assistance system, as well as other failed reforms in Canada and the United States.
Ontarios provincial auditor criticized Accenture, formerly known as Andersen Consulting, in his report this year. He pointed to serious flaws and major cost overruns that make the project a bad deal for taxpayers. The provincial government has ignored the auditors repeated warnings. The projects price tag sits at more than double the $180 million originally budgeted and its still not finished.
WSIB workers, CUPE 1750 members, have worked hard to fend off privatization by improving service delivery. They will be tackling this latest attempt to downsize and privatize the board.
Accenture is also on the move in Alberta. Here, a successful fight to keep Enmax, Calgarys electrical utility public has turned into a battle to stop back-door privatization. Enmax is negotiating with Accenture to take over the billing and telephone information services for the utility, as well as for water and wastewater services in the city.
CUPE 38 is pushing city council to live up to its pledge to keep all of Enmax public, but the mayor is deferring requests to the unelected chair of the Enmax board. The situation highlights the privatization dangers of creating arms-length utilities.
In BC, Accenture is involved in a scheme that will privatize most of BC Hydros administrative services. The high-priced consultants have also created havoc in Ohio, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Virginia and New Yorks social assistance and social services programs. Nebraskas state auditor called a project to automate social services programs the most wasteful I have ever heard of. Its like pouring money down a deep dark hole. Accenture/Andersens involvement in New Brunswicks social assistance overhaul led to inhuman practices, including policies limiting how many minutes a caseworker could talk to a client.