(Corner Brook) The union representing Corner Brook municipal workers says a behind-closed-doors decision to sell the good name of the Canada Games Centre to Pepsi should have city residents justifiably outraged.
CUPE Local 768 President Wanda Power says, This is exactly the kind of creeping privatization and commercialization of our public services that we warned against when the facilitys services were initially contracted out.
Now a public facility that was built and paid for entirely with tax dollars has had its good name sold off to a corporation. This is really scraping the bottom of the barrel, as far as decisions by City Council, says Power.
Local 706 President Nathan Lomond says, Our community is so proud of that facility and what we accomplished back in 1999, that to now sell its name off for a quick buck is a slap in the face to all who were involved in bringing the games and the centre to Corner Brook.
From CUPEs standpoint, however, it is the logical conclusion that comes from letting the private sector get their hooks into a public facility. They are not satisfied until they get it all, says Lomond.
What’s next, asks Lomond, we start giving corporate names to all city facilities?
For information:
John McCracken, CUPE Communications Rep.
(902) 455-4180 (o)