by The union for workers with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s Solid Waste Department is speaking out as the municipality explores the possibility of contracting out garbage collection.
CUPE Local 759 president Kevin Ivey says the municipality didn’t notify it about the move, even though he says the collective agreement requires it.
Ivey says there’s ample evidence from across Canada privatization of garbage collection is not a cost-effective alternative to publicly managed services.
He says all but two of the 15 most cited examples of garbage collection privatization in Canadian municipalities were brought back in house after the end of the privately held contract.
In June, the Regional Municipality issued a request for companies interested in taking over management of the municipality’s solid waste, construction and demolition disposal, recycling and biosolids.