Union Co-ops present a hopeful model for achieving worker co-op growth
This weekend, I had the privilege of attending an eight-hour seminar on the union co-ops model, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center , Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Cooperative Development Center , Communication Workers of America Local 7777 , Adams County Board of Commissioners Charles "Chaz" Tedesco , and many others. The event was hosted over a two-day period at the Denver Pipefitters Local 208 building on North Broadway. Our inspiring guest presenters included Kristen Barker of the Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative and Rob Witherell of the United Steel Workers based in Pittsburgh, PA, who generously shared a wealth of experience and knowledge over the course of the event. In attendance were about thirty people, made up mostly of union staff, members, and supporters, with a handful of co-op champions and developers (such as RMEOC, RMFU CDC, and myself) and a couple interested community members and graduate students. Ro