“We’re doing this to celebrate what CUPE workers do,” said Fred Hahn, secretary-treasurer of CUPE Ontario, at a press conference Thursday.

Hahn said that CUPE believes that the people of Niagara are getting shortchanged in their public services so it was important to give back to the community while reminding people how important these services are.

The concert, called Rock for Public Services, is one of many that took place around Ontario to bring awareness to people. Earlier this week, April Wine performed in Ajax to a crowd of about 7,000 people. Hahn said it was a great success.

“We’re using the people as plebiscites,” said Hahn. “Local and provincial politicians have to pay attention to these numbers.”

Every concert-goer will receive a pamphlet with information regarding the under funding of public services in the Niagara region according to CUPE. As well, they will receive a comment card that allows them to sign their name and support public services.

“We were trying to think of an innovative way to bring people together for public services,” said Hahn.

Hahn said that this is the first year they decided to present the concerts to create awareness about public services and admits it’s a very new thing, not something the labour movement has done before, Carolyn Taylor, President of CUPE Local 2328, said it was also important for people to see that public service workers aren’t as self-serving as so many people believe. She said aside from her job she is also a parent of three children. Her oldest son has been diagnosed with Autism and she said it has been extremely hard to get the services he’s needed.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like for a family who doesn’t have all of the knowledge of these services that I do,” said Taylor.

The concert is tonight (Friday, Aug. 22) at 7 p.m. and includes special guest The Figure Four. Admission is free. For more information on CUPE visit www.cupe.on.ca.