Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation

 La F�d�ration canadienne des coop�ratives de travail

October 2012 Newsletterwww.canadianworker.coop
Vol 3, Issue  8                                                                             
                                                                                                         

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Executive Director's Report / Rapport de la Directrice g�n�rale

(Le fran�ais suit)  It's your last chance to register for the CWCF-CoopZone Conference!  The deadline is this Friday, October 26. We invite you to join us in Hamilton, Ontario for our Conference on Surviving and Thriving as a Worker Co-op, on November 8 through 10. There are also optional activities, on November 7: an all-day workshop on the Co-op Index, and the first in-person meeting of the CoopZone Legal Network. On the evening of November 7th will also be the Canadian premiere of the new worker co-op film, Shift Change. Keynote speakers are from Come As You Are worker co-op: Annanda DeSilva (pictured) and Jack Lamon.  To see our other exciting speakers and Conference activities, please follow this link. To register, which only takes a few minutes, click directly on this link: www.gifttool.com/cwcf. We are trying to arrange for live-streaming; please tell me if you are interested! In addition to encouraging you all to register for this, I'd mostly like to tell you about my (and other worker co-operators') reactions to the Quebec International Summit - read more .   

   

C'est votre derni�re chance de vous inscrire au Congr�s de la FCCT-CoopZone!  La date limite est vendredi 26 octobre. Nous vous invitons � nous rejoindre � Hamilton, Ontario, pour notre Congr�s du 8 au 10 novembre. Il y a aussi des activit�s facultatives le 7 novembre: un atelier d'une journ�e sur l'outil diagnostique, et la premi�re r�union en personne du R�seau juridique de CoopZone. Pendant la soir�e du 7 novembre il y aura �galement la premi�re canadienne du film sur les coop�ratives de travail, Shift Change. Les conf�renciers principaux sont de Venez Tels Quels: Annanda DeSilva (dans la photo) et Jack Lamon. Pour voir nos autres conf�renciers et d'autres activit�s du Congr�s, vous pouvez suivez ce lien. Pour vous inscrire, ce qui ne prend que quelques minutes, cliquer directement sur ce lien: www.gifttool.com /fcct. Nous essayons d'organiser le live-streaming. Veuillez me le dire si vous �tes int�ress�s! En plus de vous encourager tous � vous inscrire au Congr�s, je tiens � vous parler de mes r�actions (et celles d'autres coop�rateur-trices du travail) au Sommet international de Qu�bec -voir ce lien.  

Worker Co-operators React to the Qu�bec Summit
(Le fran�ais suit) In the wake of the 2012 Qu�bec Summit, several worker co-operators shared their stories with communications director James Mitchell. He has since taken these numerous reactions and compiled a brief document called "Impressions of Qu�bec 2012". In the attached file you'll read candid responses from conference attendees, providing their honest -- positive and negative -- feedback on the Summit.  We think you will find it very interesting.  Co-opWeekFollow this link to download the document.
 
Apr�s le Sommet du Qu�bec, plusieurs personnes du secteur des coop�ratives de travail ont partag� leurs points de vue avec le directeur des communications James Mitchell. Depuis ce temps-l�, il a pris ces nombreuses r�actions et cr�� un bref document intitul� �Impressions de Qu�bec 2012�. Dans le fichier joint, vous lirez des r�ponses franches de participants au Sommet, en fournissant leur r�action (positive et n�gative) sur le Sommet. Nous croyons que vous le trouverez tr�s int�ressant.  Suivez ce lien pour t�l�charger le document.
Imagine 2012
Imagine
Before the Qu�bec Summit a special conference, entitled Imagine, was put on by St. Mary's University. This event focused on a critical analysis of the social, economic, and environmental status quo as unsustainable. Of vital importance to meaningful human life is the fostering of relationships within communities, and co-operation was present as an approach to organising that complex set of relationships in a manner that respects the dignity of people and has confidence that, with few exceptions, people want to make the world a better place. The "economy" ought to allow them to do that. The co-operative values and principles spell out the co-operative approach to creating that complex set of relationships within the economy, in a way that at the same time fosters personal human development and families and communities. You can read more at the site for Imagine, and more information will be made available in the near future.

 

Rencontre internationale de la coop�ration du travail
Le Reseau
La Rencontre internationale de la coop�ration du travail a eu lieu le 8 octobre. C'�tait une occasion pour discuter de la coop�ration du travail et de rencontrer d'autres membres de coop�ratives d'� travers le monde. Un des th�mes �tait "Vers un mod�le optimal de gouvernance dans les coop�ratives de travailleurs". Une autre partie de la conversation a port� sur le fait que le mouvement syndical et le mouvement des coop�ratives de travail collaborent de plus en plus. Les syndicats peuvent �tre des alli�s excellents car on partage les m�mes valeurs de d�mocratie et priorisation des travailleurs.  Un excellent exemple est le Western Labour Worker Co-op Council.  Le but �tait d'entamer une discussion exploratoire sur les collaborations potentielles entre les syndicats et les coop�ratives de travail. Pour d'autres d�tails, voir: http://www.reseau.coop/reseau/sections/index/archives.php?id=216
Blog on the Qu�bec Summit
Quebec City
The summit in Qu�bec City has just wrapped up, and it was a fantastic event showcasing the amazing power of co-operatives. James Mitchell, CWCF communications director, has written a short blog about his experience at the Summit. Several guest speakers from the worker co-op world, including Rebecca Kemble, Bruno Roelants, and Hazel Corcoran delivered talks at plenaries and workshops. Among the many key questions discussed was the overarching theme of how should co-ops move forward? This was examined from the perspective of profit, the growth of market share, and social responsibility. To read more on this, check out James' blog post for his reactions
Global Worker Co-op Day / Journ�e internationale de la coop�rative du travail

(Le franais suit.) A special worker co-op conference will be held by les Scop ("SCOP" is the word used in France for worker co-op) on November 15th-16th in Marseille, France. As part of the International Year of Cooperatives, the French worker cooperative organization is organising the Global Worker Cooperative Day in partnership with CICOPA. The Conference programme focuses on exchanges on the diversity of the models and practices of worker cooperation across the world, debates and analyses on the urgent challenges stemming Les SCOPS from today's crises, and networking. This event will feature representatives and testimonies from key experiences from various countries in different continents; Brazil, the USA, Canada, India, Argentina, Japan, Italy, Spain, and France. To learn more, visit the website of les Scop. Presenters from North America are CWCF President Alain Bridault and US FWC Executive Director Melissa Hoover. 

 

Un congr�s sp�cial sera organis� par les Scop les 15 et 16 novembre � Marseilles, France. Dans le cadre de l'Ann�e internationale des coop�ratives, les Scop organisent une Journ�e mondiale de la coop�rative du travail en partenariat avec CICOPA. Le programme met l'accent sur les �changes sur la diversit� des mod�les et des pratiques de la coop�ration des travail � travers le monde, des d�bats et des analyses sur les d�fis urgents provoqu�s par les crises d'aujourd'hui, et de mise en r�seau. Cet �v�nement aura des repr�sentants et des t�moignages des exp�riences cl�s de divers pays: le Br�sil, les Etats-Unis, le Canada, l'Inde, l'Argentine, le Japon, l'Italie, l'Espagne et la France. Pour plus d'information, suivre ce lien. Les conf�renciers de l'Am�rique du nord seront le Pr�sident de la FCCT Alain Bridault et la DG de la F�d�ration am�ricaine Melissa Hoover. 

Mark Goldblatt on CBC's "Ottawa Morning"
On Labour Day, former CWCF president Mark Goldblatt appeared as a guest on CBC's Ottawa morning radio show. The short interview was focused on worker co-operatives as a viable alternative to traditional labour arrangements. Mark addresses numerous issues around the sector in a Canadian and international context. You can read a transcript of the interview by following this link to the CWCF web site.
 
West End Food Co-op Opens in Toronto
West End Food Co-op

Several hundred passionate Torontonian foodies have formed a multi-stakeholder co-op in the city's West End. The vision: a thriving food community, based out of a member-run grocery store and community kitchen space, all focused on food close to home. After years of working to realise this dream, the doors are now open, thanks in large part to assistance from other worker co-ops like Fourth Pig. Look to visit the West End Food Co-op this fall in a newly-renovated multipurpose space: a store, community kitchen, and classroom. You can read more about it here.  

Claude Jourdain Leaves Le Reseau / Claude Jourdain quitte son poste au R�seau
Le Reseau
(Le fran�ais suit) On 26 September Le Reseau, the network of worker co-operatives in Qu�bec, announced that Claude Jourdain was leaving his position as Executive Director of the organisation. A working committee has been struck in order to lead the organisation. For the last year, Jourdain has been on the board of the CWCF, representing Qu�bec. To read the French press release, click here.

Le 26 septembre Claude Jourdain a quitt� ses fonctions comme directeur g�n�ral du R�seau de la coop�ration du travail du Qu�bec (RESEAU) . Un comit� de gestion a �t� mis sur pied pour administrer l'organisation. Depuis un an, Jourdain a si�g� au conseil d'administration de la FCCT. Pour en savoir plus, suivez ce lien.
CCA Youth Caucus: Seeking new members
The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) has changed the name of its youth caucus and has launched a new recruitment drive to find members. The National Young Co-operators is CCA an ad-hoc committee of the CCA which represents the interests of young and future co-operators through recommendations, programs and services. The committee has between nine and 13 members. Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 35  at the time of their application. Follow this link to fill out an application or contact M�riem Bougrassa at meriem.bougrassa@coopscanada.coop for more information. The deadline for applications is November 2.  


 "We The People"
Help Wanted

A new video has surfaced, produced by worker co-operators in the United States. Titled "We The People", the film highlights the benefits of the worker-owner model, pairing it with the values of both American individualism and building togetherness. The short film is a perfect media piece to show to people outside the sector, explaining the significance of worker co-ops for the people who work in them, and the people in the wider community. To watch the clip, follow this link.   

Hazel talks Worker Co-ops with Arbitrage
Recently, Hazel Corcoran sat down to discuss the CWCF and worker co-ops, specifically in the context of the movement in Canada. While some information is provided on the basics of worker co-operatives and the current role of the CWCF, Hazel remarks on important developments in the world of co-operatives, such as the International Year of the Co-operative, North American Students of Cooperation, the cuts to the CDI, and alternatives to the neoliberal model of capitalism. (Please note that there are a few minor mis-quotes in the article, but the bulk of it is accurate.)   To read the text of the interview, follow this link
 
The Youth Employment Crisis

IYC Co-operatives

The International Labour Organisation adopted a resolution to take immediate, targeted, and renewed action to tackle the youth employment crisis. The recognition that policies are harming employment options, in particular for youth. Policies will aim to stimulate long-term job growth and create better jobs through macroeconomic measures. The ILO encourages governments, social partners, the multilateral system, and civil society to actively and promptly take part in this action. The ILO also emphasizes the major role played by cooperatives in fighting youth unemployment. As the world community celebrates the International Year of Cooperatives, the ILO Secretary General invites young people to explore the benefits of pursuing cooperative enterprise and other forms of social entrepreneurship, and encourages the cooperative movement to engage with youth. To read the article and to check out the report from the ILO, click here. 

  

  

The Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF) is a national, bilingual grassroots membership organization of and for worker co-operatives, related types of co-operatives (multi-stakeholder co-ops and worker-shareholder co-ops), and organizations that support the growth and development of worker cooperatives.  CWCF's e-newsletter is available free of charge to anyone with an e-mail address and an interest in worker co-operative developments in Canada. 
  
Please send any comments and suggestions to: 

 

James Mitchell 

Editor of CWCF Newsletter 
james@canadianworker.coop
418-524-5161