Dear Worker Owned Supporters in California —
We hope folks are enduring this very unique budget season and thank you so much for your support of WORC’s budget ask this year!
Unfortunately and despite being heard by Senate Sub 4 last month, our $36.5M ask for a statewide outreach campaign and dedicated capital to support worker-owned conversions of small businesses was not included in the Legislature’s budget. Given the State’s commitment to building back with an equitable and inclusive economy, we see this as a missed opportunity as the Administration and Legislature continue to search for innovative solutions to persistent, systemic inequities in our economy such as growing wage gaps, expansion of low-wage jobs and the Silver Tsunami of small business owners.
With your support, we pushed far into the budget season and educated the Administration and many more legislators and their staff this year. Earlier this week, WORC was included as part of a presentation to the California Workforce Development Board and we look forward to partnering with the State on ensuring the ARPA-funded SSBCI can be used to further worker ownership.
Thank you so much for advocating with us this year and if you’d like to stay plugged in with WORC moving forward, please consider joining our coalition
