It’ll be a long day at court tomorrow as the City of Edmonton, EPCOR and various labour unions argue whether or not the decision to privatize EPCOR’s power generation assets was legal.

The group of labour organizations, which includes the Alberta Federation of Labour and CUPE Local 30, argues that city council breached key provisions of the Municipal Government Act when they decided on the sale behind closed doors last April.

“If they did not have the legal right to make the decision, the decision cannot be considered valid,” AFL President Gil McGowan in a release.

Both EPCOR and the City of Edmonton have filed extensive responses to the group’s statement of claim, but spokesman Tim Le Riche told Metro EPCOR was ready for its day in court.

“EPCOR believes this claim is without merit and we will vigorously defend ourselves,” he said.

The hearing begins at 10 a.m. today.

Metro News, Fri Sept 11 2009
Byline: Carmen Wall