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In reply to the discussion: STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Monday, 22 April 2013 -- Earth Day [View all]Demeter
(85,373 posts)9. GOOD NEWS ANTIDOTES: Worker-Owned Cooperatives: Direct Democracy in Action By David Morgan
http://www.nationofchange.org/worker-owned-cooperatives-direct-democracy-action-1366380176
...The cooperative movement is experiencing a string of these moments now, and is burgeoning with renewed activity. I see this first-hand as a co-owner of the Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA), a worker-owned cooperative that participates in many co-op networks. Weve facilitated hundreds of co-op workshops around the country, and taught thousands with our resource Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives. Its our philosophy that cooperatives enable direct democracy and local control over the economy. As participants in the co-op movement, we help to turn flashpoints into lasting social change. Fortunately, the path to a community-controlled economy is well worn, and the adaptive responsive networks of the movement are buoying this energy. Over decades, these movement-based networks have quietly built support structures to transition us to a new economy. And with renewed demands for economic justice, they are springing to life.
The Model
As many look for ways out of the capitalist morass of boom-bust cycles, worker cooperatives have taken center stage. Cooperatives are democratic enterprises where both ownership and decision-making power are democratically shared. As a result, they keep money and power in the hands of the community. There are many types of co-opscredit unions, housing co-ops, food coops, and so on and though they abide by the the same Cooperative Principles, all coops operate differently. Worker cooperatives involve everyone in decision-making on a one vote, one share-per-member basis. All also equally owns the company. Even though only 1 percent of the cooperatives in the United States are worker owned, their organizing success has recently made them a focal point in the struggle for economic justice. Indeed, Occupy Wall Street participants launched a worker-run co-op print shop in Brooklyn called OccuCopy.
These organizations are inspired by successful historical examples, like the Mondragon system in Spain, and Emilio Romagno in Italy, which provide a model for economic transition and sustainability. Todays co-ops are also guided by an earnest, evidenced solidarityin other words, they put their money where their mouth iswhich provides support for members and fellow organizations alike. Guided by cooperative principle number six, which promotes cooperation amongst cooperatives, partnerships between co-ops were easily realized. They multiplied and soon turned to regional alliances, which snowballed into national networks...
MORE GOOD NEWS AT LINK
...The cooperative movement is experiencing a string of these moments now, and is burgeoning with renewed activity. I see this first-hand as a co-owner of the Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA), a worker-owned cooperative that participates in many co-op networks. Weve facilitated hundreds of co-op workshops around the country, and taught thousands with our resource Co-opoly: The Game of Cooperatives. Its our philosophy that cooperatives enable direct democracy and local control over the economy. As participants in the co-op movement, we help to turn flashpoints into lasting social change. Fortunately, the path to a community-controlled economy is well worn, and the adaptive responsive networks of the movement are buoying this energy. Over decades, these movement-based networks have quietly built support structures to transition us to a new economy. And with renewed demands for economic justice, they are springing to life.
The Model
As many look for ways out of the capitalist morass of boom-bust cycles, worker cooperatives have taken center stage. Cooperatives are democratic enterprises where both ownership and decision-making power are democratically shared. As a result, they keep money and power in the hands of the community. There are many types of co-opscredit unions, housing co-ops, food coops, and so on and though they abide by the the same Cooperative Principles, all coops operate differently. Worker cooperatives involve everyone in decision-making on a one vote, one share-per-member basis. All also equally owns the company. Even though only 1 percent of the cooperatives in the United States are worker owned, their organizing success has recently made them a focal point in the struggle for economic justice. Indeed, Occupy Wall Street participants launched a worker-run co-op print shop in Brooklyn called OccuCopy.
These organizations are inspired by successful historical examples, like the Mondragon system in Spain, and Emilio Romagno in Italy, which provide a model for economic transition and sustainability. Todays co-ops are also guided by an earnest, evidenced solidarityin other words, they put their money where their mouth iswhich provides support for members and fellow organizations alike. Guided by cooperative principle number six, which promotes cooperation amongst cooperatives, partnerships between co-ops were easily realized. They multiplied and soon turned to regional alliances, which snowballed into national networks...
MORE GOOD NEWS AT LINK
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Another Giveaway to the Banksters: Obama, Housing and the Next Big Heist By Mike Whitney
Demeter
Apr 2013
#4
From the "We don't care if we're ass backwards wrong! We're standing by it" Department.
Fuddnik
Apr 2013
#7
GOOD NEWS ANTIDOTES: Worker-Owned Cooperatives: Direct Democracy in Action By David Morgan
Demeter
Apr 2013
#9
Remaking the Federal Reserve, Building Public Banks and Opting Out of Wall Street
Demeter
Apr 2013
#11
Create Finance System That Serves Public, Part I: Shrink, Regulate Banks, and Enforce Law
Demeter
Apr 2013
#14
Well, the stupid "drug testing for welfare" meme is flying over the social networking sites... AGAIN
Hugin
Apr 2013
#16
The youngers cannot play that game no $$$, no future, a lot of us oldsters won't..
kickysnana
Apr 2013
#26