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Charlottetown PEI The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 501 launched a campaign called “CITY WORK CARI CITY WORKERS” to ensure that City work is provided by City workers in Charlottetown, PEI.

CUPE Local 501 represents Public Works, Recreation and Fire Department Employees for the City of Charlottetown.

In October 2001, the City of Charlottetown Council voted to give the new rink and pool complex over to a non-profit corporation known as Capital Area Recreation Inc.(CARI)

We understand that the city needs a new recreation facility, but we always maintained that the facility should belong to the City not to CARI, said CUPE representative Bill McKinnon.

CUPE Local 501 has obtained the official documents relating to this project and the financing of the $20.6 million project. The citizens of Charlottetown are funding through capital financing, infrastructure dollars and loans, $18.2 million of the total bill. Yet, the City doesnt own a single brick. Furthermore, the City is responsible for funding up to 87.5 cents of every dollar overspent by CARI each year as well as paying up to $152,000.00 per year to a Capital Sinking Fund to a maximum of $18 million. The financial commitment by the taxpayers is truly astonishing! said McKinnon.

The City must negotiate with CARI to ensure that at least unionized city workers look after the new complex, said McKinnon.

As a part of the on-going campaign launched October 21st, CUPE Local 501 wants to meet with the Mayor and Councilors to make a full presentation on this issue before the end of their mandate on December 31, 2003.

Our campaign will continue until City Council addresses our concerns and takes, if not full control at least some responsibility for the operation of what should have been a City owned facility from the beginning, concluded McKinnon.

“CITY WORK CARI CITY WORKERS” CAMPAIGN
Support our campaign.

For more information:
Bill A. McKinnon
CUPE Representative
902 566-4006