Blog

An ongoing series examining issues in the worker co-op sector.

So You Want to Retire

Presentation by Peter Hough Excerpt: Key Issues: -Founding and Long Term Members Retirement Security Relinquishing member/ownership and it benefits Worker Co-operative New Members Viability Cash Flow Debt Load Knowledge Transfer …continued in attachment. So You Want to Retire_0


Read more

An Equal Exchange Story: When a founding member gets pushed out

Paper posted on March 6, 2011 was prepared for the Babson-Equal Exchange Cooperative Curriculum titled ‘The Worker Cooperative Life Cycle’ by John R. Whitman Ph.D. This is an academic- style paper that explored whether the Cook and Burress’ theory (2009) of the five phases of a co-operative fit the life cycle of Equal Exchange. The paper An Equal Exchange Story: When a founding member gets pushed out


Read more

Archived March 22, 2020 – The Potential of Worker Co-operatives

Alain Bridault October 28, 2010 CWCF Annual Conference Vancouver, British Columbia In the anglophone world of co-operation, the history of modern co-ops began with those who were called the Pioneers of the city of Rochdale, now a suburb of Manchester (England). The Pioneers were issued from the ranks of the proletariat; they were factory workers. Archived March 22, 2020 – The Potential of Worker Co-operatives


Read more

Managing the democratic life in a worker co-op: role of members, the board and managers/co-ordinators

Alain Bridault CWCF Annual Conference Saturday, October 30, 2010 in Vancouver Summary In a worker co-op, one has to have a good understanding of group dynamics. There are two energies within the group.  First: Production energy; the more important the goal or target is, the higher the energy level. When you look at a worker Managing the democratic life in a worker co-op: role of members, the board and managers/co-ordinators


Read more

Archived March 22, 2020 – The Art & Science of Cooperative Business Development: Co-op Developer Training

Canadian participants are welcome to attend this program. Cooperative Business Development Training Program for Practitioners The Art and Science of Starting a Cooperative Business The CooperationWorks! Cooperative Business Development Training Program is a rigorous course for participants to develop the skills to start a new cooperative and assist groups to start new cooperative enterprises. The Archived March 22, 2020 – The Art & Science of Cooperative Business Development: Co-op Developer Training


Read more

2010 CWCF Tele-learning Session #2 – Conflict Resolution Summary

Please see attachments below for the summary, PowerPoint, accountability chart procedures, accountability chart, employment contract, and job description examples. To listen to the session please view here http://www.divshare.com/download/11127983-bde. Job Description Form Co-opEmployment ContractAccountability Chart ProceduresConflict in Worker Co-opsAccountability Chart2010 CWCF Tele-learning Session – Conflict Resolution – Notes


Read more

Archived March 22, 2020 – The Growth Factors of Worker Co-operatives – Interview with Bruno Roelants (2010 CWCF March/April E-Newsletter)

Bruno Roelants is the General Secretary of CICOPA (International Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal and Service Producers’ Co-operatives), which is the sectoral organization of the International Co-operative Alliance that promotes worker cooperatives. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, CICOPA has a membership of 57 national and regional cooperative federations in 39 countries. CWCF recently had the opportunity to Archived March 22, 2020 – The Growth Factors of Worker Co-operatives – Interview with Bruno Roelants (2010 CWCF March/April E-Newsletter)


Read more

Union-Led Buy-Outs

Guides drafted for union-led conversions to worker co-ops from other business forms, by the Western Labour-Worker Co-op Council.  The Council’s members included CWCF, the Prairie Region of the Canadian Labour Congress, the Ohio Employee Ownership Center, Co-op Ventures Worker Co-op, and various trade unions. 1 of 4: Union-Led Buy-Outs – Coop Basics 2 of 4: Union-Led Buy-Outs


Read more

Steps in a Worker Buyout of a Company

(1) Educate the supporters of the buyout. Supporters may include all of the hourly and salaried employees as well as local management. Frequently, in situations involving an organized workforce, those employees protected by a union contract are the initial proponents. (2) Establish a buyout association. Membership in the buyout association is usually open to all Steps in a Worker Buyout of a Company


Read more