I have not done a blog for far too long so apologies! The worker co-operative council of Co-operatives UK recently met and wanted to share with members some of their work and actions to grow the worker co-operative sector. They would like your input and more importantly action to help.
In case you don't know the Council meets four times a year and is made up of seven elected members from worker co-ops, and two other (currently and co-operative development adviser and a member of the woodcraft folk).
As well as practical things like attending events/networking, advocating for worker co-ops, helping update the Worker Co-operative Code, they also act as a sounding board for and set priorities in relation to worker co-operatives. Two of the Council members then represent worker co-operatives on our main Board of Director of Co-operatives UK.
At our last meeting members decided to publish the below working document that sets out priorities and actions for the future to help grow the worker co-operative economy. They would like to invite you to a help suggest and achieve these actions.
The google doc version is here.
Finally here is a blatant plug for Co-operatives United a international festival of co-operatives taking place in Manchester on the 31 Oct to the 2 Nov. A great opportunity to mix with other worker co-operatives from the UK and around the world. Parts are free and parts are paid for so please do come if you can.
1 comment:
Perhaps a first port of call, is to repair, revive re invigorate what was some time ago was thought as a possible Caja Laboral of the then , some time in the pass, new worker cooperatives.
So a suggestion is that TLC be put into vitalizing the C&C F ( ICOF); (and investing in it). Apparently only some 50% of their funds, which are modest, are out on loan; these need to be put to work! Cooperative capital formation will be vital for a realization of your stated objectives. There are other criterion to be met, what to do, skills and so on. A principle behind WC whatever form they take is that capital should be serving labour and the community). Secondary coops are probably important for WC development asa sector. There is a lot more thought and development of practice, product to be done.
It might be an idea to form a Workers Cooperative Council Association which allowed both Coops and interested individuals to be members; perhaps a multi-stakeholder organization which preserves the majority vote to the WCs but allows representation to the other interests. This wold mean that WC do'nt just talk to each other as important as that is but have a face to the outside.
A field of investment that allowed some modest returns to all stakeholders might be some of the foundation to the development of the objectives set out recently by the WCC. Interrogating what might be possible is an important start. Good Luck .AW
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