US Federation of Worker Cooperatives Supports Public Sector Workers' Right to Collective Bargaining

Press release from the USFWC Board stating our solidarity with the movement in Wisconsin
USFWC contact: Melissa Hoover, (415) 309-5983, melissa@usworker.coop

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

US Federation of Worker Cooperatives Supports Public Sector Workers' Right to Collective Bargaining

The United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC) stands in solidarity with public workers protesting the State of Wisconsin’s Budget Repair Bill to protect their right to collective bargaining. The USFWC is a national grassroots membership organization of and for worker cooperatives, other democratic workplaces, and the organizations that support the growth and continued development of worker cooperatives.

John McNamara, president of the USFWC Board and worker-owner at Union Cab Cooperative of Madison said, “We are at Ground Zero of the labor movement right now. The battle over public sector unions and their right to collectively bargain is our struggle. What happens in Wisconsin will help change the course of debate in this country that will prevent the Shock Capitalism advocates from operating.”

US Federation Executive Director Melissa Hoover states: “Worker cooperatives are historically and currently part of the labor movement. We promote the idea of democracy--not just in the workplace, but in the labor union structure and in our civic life. We support the workers of Wisconsin and internationally. Corporate handouts by governments cannot be paid for by working people.”

Two of the most basic principles followed by worker cooperatives worldwide are 'democratic member control' and 'member economic participation.' As institutions of economic democracy, worker cooperatives support political democracy and the rights of all workers to engage in the political process. The USFWC stands against this “smoke screen” to attack workers, sell off state assets, and destroy the ability of workers to engage in the political process, and encourages its members and allies to contact their legislators to oppose the “repair” bill.

For more on the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: www.usworker.coop. For more on worker cooperatives and their guiding principles: http://www.ica.coop/coop/principles.html