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Our Member Councils and Peer Networks are shaping the future of the worker co-op movement in the U.S. through mutual aid exchanges, collective education & learning and political advocacy for a just economy. Here are the highlights for this month from some of our councils & networks:
- Policy and Advocacy Council, along with the Board and Executive Committee, are responsible for steering the conversations of the council as well as working with staff to review legislative asks. The council is also preparing to discuss statewide policy initiatives, as well as Government models for funding co-ops. Sign up for the conversation here.
- Cooperative Booksellers Peer Network – the CB PN May meeting featured their first “peer consultancy” exercise. Roy and Kim of Rozzie Bound Co-op presented their problem statement (the tension between being a for-profit enterprise and a mission-driven organization), the peer network clarified the issue, then they had a fruitful discussion about how they each approach this question. There was also a short discussion on online bookstores, which will be the focus of the next session on June 21st.
- Tech Worker Co-op Peer Network – the TWC PN shared a round of updates on their co-ops, discussed experiences around recruiting BIPOC and non-binary folks to tech co-ops, and explored their collective commitment to technology that preserves user privacy.
- Build and Design Peer Network – the B&D PN discussed Onboarding and Developing Worker Owners at the May monthly meeting. This included questions of ownership tracks for new hires and candidate levels, employee status, the difference between long term owners and members, founder dynamics and sweat equity, and decision-making processes.
What’s coming up?
- Leaders of our Union Co-ops Council (including USFWC board member Denise Hernandez, Ra Criscitello of SEIU-UHW, Ellen Vera of Co-op Cincy) will lead two workshops at this year’s Labor Notes conference in Chicago – “Union Co-ops versus Racial Capitalism: Challenges and Prospects in the Covid Era” and “Union Workers Co-ops as the basis of an economy that works for all”.
- The next Tech Worker Co-ops Peer Network meeting will be Wed June 8th (recurring at 4pm ET / 1pm PT on the 2nd Wednesday). Email membership@usworker.coop to join.
- The next Union Co-ops Council meeting will be Fri June 10th (recurring on the 2nd Friday of every other month at 1-2:15pm ET / 10-11:15am PT). Email maddie@usworker.coop to join.
- The next Policy & Advocacy Council meeting will be Thu June 16th (recurring at 1pm ET / 10am PT on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month). Email mo@usworker.coop to join.
- The next Build and Design Peer Network meeting will be Tue June 14th (recurring at 4pm ET / 1pm PT on the 2nd Tuesdays). Email michael@usworker.coop to join.
- The next Cooperative Booksellers Peer Network meeting will be Tue June 21st (recurring at 3pm ET / 12pm PT on the 3rd Tuesdays). Email michael@usworker.coop to join.
