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By Kenzie Love When it comes to the first co-op principle, voluntary and open membership, the International Co-op Association’s Statement of Co-operative Identity is quite succinct: “Co-operatives are voluntary organisations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.” This … Worker Co-ops and the First Co-op Principle

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By Kenzie Love When it comes to the seven co-op principles, a case could be made that some of them aren’t unique to co-ops. Plenty of conventional businesses, for instance, claim to show concern for community, be open to employment for all, and engage in education and training. But the second co-op principle, democratic member … Democratic Member Control at the Foundation of Worker Co-ops

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By Kenzie Love Among the obstacles the co-operative movement faces, education — or a lack thereof – is often cited as a key factor, with co-operators pointing to neglect of the model in many business schools’ curricula. As Simon Berge of the University of Winnipeg observes, “most business schools currently present the neoliberal capitalist model … Lack of Awareness a Barrier for Co-op Education on Campus

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The third co-operative principle is Member Economic Participation.  It states, “Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their co-operative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the co-operative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for … Principle Three and the Co-operative Values —Kenzie Love

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By Kenzie Love As responses that arose in the 19th century to the excesses of industrial capitalism, unions and worker co-ops have much in common, with both seeking to improve the lives of working people and increase democracy in the workplace. Accordingly, there have been many instances of co-operation between the two in recent years, … Unionized Worker Co-ops Offer a Strong Alternative to Capitalism

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Adopted in 1995, the seventh co-op principle, concern for community, may be the most recent addition to the list, but in some ways it is the foundation on which the other six principles are built. England’s Rochdale Pioneers, originators of the modern principles, may not have explicitly included concern for community in their list, but … Concern for Community Last But Far From Least Among Co-op Principles —By Kenzie Love

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By Kenzie Love   What is the Green New Deal? The Green New Deal is a comprehensive, multifaceted approach that seeks to address not just the climate crisis but the related injustices that spawned it. Originating in the US and the UK, the idea has spread around the world, and although the particulars of the … Worker Co-ops Can Play a Central Role in the Green New Deal

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By Kenzie Love CWCF introduced our member profile series in 2019 with the goal of highlighting our members’ successes and challenges. The members profiled so far have shown the full spectrum of diversity on display in Canada’s worker co-op sector, and this wide variety of co-ops is something worth celebrating. But despite their differences, worker … Worker Co-ops Offer Advice on Surviving Common Struggles

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By Kenzie Love Although there’s no single accepted definition of “precarious employment”, it is perhaps most most commonly and succinctly defined as offering workers many of the responsibilities that come with being an employee with few or none of the benefits. That precarious employment has been on the upswing in recent years is well documented, … No Easy Answers to Problem of Precarious Employment

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