By Hazel Corcoran Spring is in the air across the country and fittingly for a time associated with new projects, CWCF has plenty on the horizon. Twenty-six people gathered on Zoom for our recent workshop on Building Racial Justice in the Worker Co-op Movement in Canada. The JEDDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion) Committee … Executive Director’s Report, April 2021
By Kenzie Love In 1844, the Rochdale Pioneers founded what would become the basis of the modern co-op movement in a small town in the north of England. In the almost 180 years since, the movement has spread and diversified, but remains united by the seven principles, adapted from those which the pioneers developed. That … Should Co-ops Adopt an Eighth Principle – on DEI?
CWCF is pleased to welcome Sandra Allen of Shift Delivery Co-op as its director for the BC/Yukon region. Sandra replaces Jessica Valentine, whom she’d been assisting with her director’s duties since 2019. A member of Shift Delivery for the past two years, and one of its board members for the past year and a half, … Board Member Profile: Sandra Allen
The Canadian Worker Co-op Federation (CWCF) offers grants to assist worker co-ops that are, or agree to become, members of CWCF to hire a co-op developer or other professional to help with a challenge that the co-op is facing. Assistance can be sought in any area needed such as marketing, financial administration, governance, conflict resolution, … Worker Co-ops Benefit From Technical Assistance Grants
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
CWCF is pleased to welcome Jared Blustein, a member of The Allium Restaurant in Calgary, to its board as a Director-at-Large. Jared and the other members of The Allium, which operates both the restaurant and a marketplace to sell unused foodstuffs, strongly believe in allyship and support of other worker co-ops as a part of … Board Member Profile: Jared Blustein
By Hazel Corcoran As we enter the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope that CWCF members and our other readers are doing okay or at least finding ways to cope with the challenges. With public health, economic, and other concerns, there is a lot to deal with. Having to be isolated from … Report from the Executive Director, February 2021
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
The Covid-19 pandemic has obviously made 2020 a challenging year on many fronts. But amidst the ongoing crisis, there is also a sense of opportunity, and the realization that the pandemic may have given us a rare chance to create a brighter future. While recognizing the enormous toll Covid has taken, now can also be … Covid-19 Pandemic Offers Chance for a Brighter Future —Kenzie Love
CWCF is working actively with le Réseau COOP in Quebec to adapt their worker co-op training program to English Canada, and we expect to launch it in mid to late February. It’s called le Parcours COOP, loosely translated as “Co-op Journey.” This program offers entrepreneurs a framework for setting up their worker co-operative, with the … Parcours Program Update