Unions & Worker Organizations

Occupy Wall Street: The labour connection

michaeljohnson — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:44:09 -0400

Al Jazeera interviewer goes deep with US labor leader, Mike Locker

Resolution No. 27: Workers' Capital, Industrial Democracy and Worker Ownership

michaeljohnson — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 07:15:08 -0400

US Steelworkers pass resolution endorsing its unionized, worker-owned cooperative development activities

Union leaders to pull funds from five banks, look to CUs

michaeljohnson — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:23:37 -0400

report from Credit Union National Association

What should our movement look like in 2040?

michaeljohnson — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:13:27 -0400

Where will our movement be in another 30 years? In 2040, I will be 76 years old. Chances are, if I am still alive, I will be hopefully still be blogging (or whatever the kids will be doing in those days) but I will likely not be fully involved in the movement or physically working a 40-50 hour work week. Almost all of our current leadership will be in the same position. The current crop of Toxic Soil Busters will be pushing 50 (like I am now). What should our movement look like in that age?

Taking the cooperative advantage to scale: 2

michaeljohnson — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:12:37 -0400

In the recent series on his blog, The Workers' Paradise ,McNamara is very strong on the possibility of the cooperative movement being able to move to scale. But he wisely directs our attention to the big problems this is going to bring, problems that are already burdening cooperatives. The primary one he refers to is “the agency problem” (which is pretty much what I mean by “top/down problem”).

Taking the cooperative advantage to scale: 1

michaeljohnson — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 13:16:09 -0400

Thank you, John McNamara for advancing the conversation about the opportunities, issues, and problems of taking the cooperative advantage to scale.

Honest Hope

michaeljohnson — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 05:26:14 -0400

...we are coming to our national worker co-op conference sounding the theme that worker co-ops are the solution. My worry, however, is...

The John Logue ACE Award; other ACE Awards

ajowa — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:32:49 -0400

The Association of Cooperative Educators established the John Logue ACE award at its 58th annual conference in Cleveland July27-30, 2010. Ohio Employee Ownership Center staff members, Bill McIntyre and Logue's wife, Olga Klepikova, talk about Logue's work, vision, "moxie" and his impact on Ohio and the U.S. Other ACE awardees for 2010 are also mentioned.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COOPERATIVES IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA

michaeljohnson — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:24:43 -0400

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COOPERATIVES IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA By John Curl At the time of its incorporation in 1817, Pittsburgh was already a manufacturing center, with a population of around 6,000, supplying the western region with artisanal products almost entirely made by home industry. It had become a manufacturing center during the war of 1812, when the supply of British-made goods have been cut off in the region. In 1817 most manufacturing was still done by independent self-employed artisans using hand tools. But their livelihood was already threatened by the growth of a new system that was making their economy obsolete: factories and wage labor.

An Outline History of Cooperatives in the Bay Area and California

michaeljohnson — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:04:08 -0400

John Curl's history of the Bay Area Cooperative movement is eye-opening. It leaves you amazed that this country is so rich in cooperativism yet we only learn of it through John's heroic efforts. It brings to mind the saying: You need to know where you've been to know where you're going. My hope is that this history further opens up and extends our vision and our work.