The Union Co-op Council is recommending co-ops take a “labor neutrality” stance: committing to respect the rights of their workers to organize a labor union if they choose to. For the USFWC’s Annual Member Meeting, members will vote on whether to endorse this as a standard for the field. See the resolution here.
Unions and co-ops are building solidarity: starting unionized worker-owned companies, organizing member support for workers at co-ops like REI, advocating for common policies that deliver raises and better working conditions, and leading by example to show what democracy looks like in the workplace.
However, many cooperators are unfamiliar with how unions work in practice, and many union members don’t yet see co-ops as aligned partners. Despite the historic gains of the labor movement over the past century, union membership in the US is at a historic low. While membership in agricultural, electric, food, and financial co-ops is ubiquitous in the US, the transformative potential of collective ownership is not widely felt today. Cooperative management can feel confusing to match with collective bargaining since unions and co-ops tend to use different systems, practices, and norms, especially in worker co-ops where worker-owners “wear both hats” of worker and owner simultaneously.
To continue building our solidarity, the Union Co-ops Council is organizing cooperative organizations (businesses, nonprofits, and networks) to adopt labor neutrality.
“Labor neutrality” is a widely recognized standard by unions for employers to respect their workers’ rights. It means they stay neutral when their workers organize for better working conditions, taking no position (for or against) if they decide to form a labor union and voluntarily recognize and bargain with them if they do so.
Why should cooperative organizations commit to labor neutrality, especially a worker co-op where the worker-members already own and control the company?
- Not all workers in a co-op are owners. Member-owners have a responsibility to treat all their employees with respect, especially if non-supervisory workers decide a labor union is the best way to make their voice heard about wages, hours, and working conditions.
- A union can offer external support to individual workers navigating their rights and benefits provided by the co-op (e.g., shop steward representation), even in the rare case where all the workers are owners. A union can also help differentiate the decision-making process about business strategy versus working conditions.
- For nonprofits, business developers, and networks, labor neutrality will make their program work more effective as their staff become more familiar with the practical dynamics of working with labor unions to advance worker and cooperative ownership.
- The cooperative and labor movements’ futures are tied together. As co-ops navigate the coming decades of political and economic turmoil, we must consider what coalitions we are building to keep our communities safe and resilient. Making labor neutrality a standard in the co-op sector will make clear the authenticity of the cooperative difference to labor leaders, policymakers, and media, opening doors for new shared strategies for funding, benefits, and policy change.
What can you do? We hope you will consider taking one of these steps to show worker co-op solidarity with the labor movement.
- Discuss labor neutrality with your co-workers. You can use this campaign to start a conversation about how a union could be helpful for the issues at your workplace. If you’re an owner, board member, or in management, you can consider proposing a bylaws change and/or hosting a training for your leadership about how to respect the right of workers to organize.
- Cast your ballot on the proposal to recommend labor neutrality for the cooperative sector. Discuss this proposal with your colleagues and decide how you would like your organization to vote. Every USFWC voting member receives a ballot at their primary email address. Please contact membership@usworker.coop if you have any issues voting.
- Join the Union Co-ops Council. The UCC is a national network of unionists and cooperators building solidarity between unions and co-ops. You can sign up for our email list here and join our monthly meetings here. We’re happy to help you figure out how to organize
Why should the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives organize this campaign? How does it align with our mission?
- Worker co-ops will benefit from training and education toward a pro-worker culture internally, which may surface hard but important conversations and dynamics.
- Co-op leaders will benefit from becoming familiar with practical dynamics around labor unions and advocating for them publicly.
- Union leaders will see co-op labor neutrality as a signal for partnership and potentially commit new organizing resources toward developing new worker co-ops.
- This leverages the unique role of the USFWC as a standard-setter for the worker co-op field and as a pro-worker organization within the broader cooperative field.
