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After a strong media campaign by CUPE Local 38, Calgary’s newly elected mayor has pulled the plug on the privatization of Enmax, the City’s public utility.

Through radio ads and an e-mail campaign, Local 38 exposed the lack of public input and raised important questions about the financial aspects of the deal.

As a result of the strong public pressure, Calgary City Council put the whole deal on hold at its first post-election meeting. On a motion by Mayor Dave Bronconnier, council approved an independent analysis of the sale, with no action to be taken before April 2002. While the sale of Enmax is still on the table, Local 38 has bought time for further mobilization and open public debate.

And, across the province a record six CUPE activists were elected in Alberta’s municipal elections on October 15.

Bruce Macleod, a division vice president and member of CUPE Local 37, was elected to Acme town council. Two CUPE members, William Taylor from CUPE Local 1012 and Richard Poole from CUPE Local 38, were elected to Blackfalds town council. Dennis Preece, a member of CUPE Local 2839, was elected to Devon council and former CUPE Local 30 member, Dave Theile, was re-elected in Edmonton. Shirley Ketterer, office coordinator for CUPE Local 4318, was elected as a school trustee in Banff, and Lyn Gorman, long time union activist and past member of CUPE Local 2545, was elected to the Fort MacMurray school board.

All together, fifteen CUPE activists threw their hats into the political ring this time.