Building Resilient Communities – Ecology, Equality, and Workplace Democracy
Construire des communautés résilientes – L’écologie, l’égalité et la démocratie au travail
Hashtag #cwcf-cz2019
This is the theme for the CWCF 2019 Conference, which took place in Tatamagouche, NS from October 24th – 26th, in conjunction with CoopZone.
As with all businesses, the climate crisis presents a challenge for worker co-ops. Unlike with many other businesses, however, it is one that worker co-ops are well-positioned to respond to because of their roots in their communities, voluntary and open membership, and democratic structure. The impacts of climate change pose disproportionate risks for historically marginalized groups. But developing a green economy by growing and strengthening the worker co-op movement also helps to empower people with the prospect of new employment opportunities, more livable communities, and more control over their labour. Through following sustainable practices and/or working directly in the green economy to help address the climate crisis as well as building equality and democracy in the workplace, worker co-ops can help transform our world to a better economy, society, and environment for everyone.
In addition to covering this important theme at the Conference, there was a Worker Co-op Intensive session, workshops on topics of practical interest, and great networking opportunities.
CWCF-CZ 2019 Conference Program
The Conference newsletter is available here.
Below are some of the presentations from the conference:
Worker Coop Intensive: Human Issues in a Worker Co-op
Sub topic: Compensation as a Philosophy by Sonja Novkovic, Cian McMahon, International Centre for Cooperative Management, Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University
CoopZone Intensive
Co-operation and Our Future: Peripheral or Central by Tom Webb, President, Global Co-operation and Adjunct Professor Sobey School of Business
CCIF: Financing That Works for Co-operatives, by Christina Baker, Director of Community Lending, CCIF
North Nova Forestry Co-op, by Greg Watson
L’économie circulaire: Génératrice de nouvelles entreprises
Building Your Co-op’s Financial Viability, with Peter Hough (facilitator), Colin MacDougall, Sustainability Solutions Group, and Ahmed Nassrat, Just Us! Coffee Roasters
Worker Co-ops and the Social and Solidarity Economy, by Sonja Novkovic, International Centre for Cooperative Management, Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University
The Co-operators Journey to Environmental Sustainability—and Climate Leadership, by Wendy Carruthers
DETAILED CONFERENCE PROGRAM: The Conference program is available here in a pdf download.
2019 CWCF -CoopZone Conference Participant List
Registration is now closed.
CWCF AGM Notice
The Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of CWCF was held on October 25th from 4 :05 – 5:05 pm, and on October 26th from 10:50 – 11:30 am Atlantic Time, at the Tatamagouche Centre in Tatamagouche, NS, as part of the CWCF-CoopZone Annual Conference.
The business of the AGM included financial statements, the auditor’s report, the election of directors, the appointment of the auditor, a proposed bylaw change, and other business. The bylaw amendment was to clarify the rules around expulsion of members. You can review the amendment here. There was also director elections in the BC Region, Prairies Region, and for an at-large director.
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