Category Archives: World Declaration

CICOPA’s Declaration on migrants and refugees

Since my last post on January 23, I had been wondering how to address some of the actions that have happened since in terms of the worker cooperative identity. Fortunately for me, my friends at the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation … Continue reading

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The Guiding Light

Over the last several months, I have used this space to discuss the two core documents for worker co-operatives: The Statement on the Co-operative Identity and the CICOPA Declaration on Worker Co-operatives. Worker co-operative practitioners need to read these documents. … Continue reading

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CICOPA: Relations with Workers’ Organizations

The final section of the World Declaration on Worker Co-operatives deals with the co-operative movement’s relations with the international labor movement. CICOPA calls upon the co-operative movement in general and worker co-operatives in particular to engage in dialogue. The statement … Continue reading

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CICOPA: Worker Coop Relations with Employer Groups

This section of the Declaration on Worker Cooperatives (as the next one) consists of a short paragraph: “Employers’ organizations can promote the development of cooperative worker ownership as an entrepreneurial form whose first objective is the creation of sustainable and … Continue reading

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The CICOPA Declaration: Relations with Governments

Section IV of the World Declaration on Worker Cooperatives discusses the relationship between the State as well as regional and intergovernmental institutions. I should note for the USian audience that the term “State” in this sense means any sovereign nation. … Continue reading

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CICOPA: Relations with the Co-operative Movement

The remaining sections of the World Declaration on Worker Cooperatives focus on the rest of the world and suggest how they and worker cooperatives should interact. The first of these include six “invitations” for the cooperative movement to consider. The … Continue reading

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Internal Functioning Rules of Worker Co-operatives

Worker co-operatives, by their nature, focus on the internal dynamics. While this may sometimes devolve into navel gazing that can be dangerous to their ability to compete, the internal functioning of a worker co-operative defines it from ESOPs, partnerships and … Continue reading

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CICOPA: The Basic Characteristics of a Worker Co-operative

There are six basic characteristics of worker co-operatives in the CICOPA World Declaration of Worker Co-operatives: Creating and maintaining sustainable jobs, improving the quality of life for their members, creating dignity in human work, democratic self-management, and promoting community and … Continue reading

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CICOPA: General Characteristics of a Worker Co-operative

If you are a member of a worker co-operative, as defined in the World Declaration on Worker Co-operatives, then CICOPA considers you a “proponent of one of the most advanced, fair and dignifying modalities of labour relations, generation and distribution … Continue reading

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Why Do Worker Co-operatives Need a World Declaration?

In 2007, during Congress in Saskatoon, Canada, which included the joint meeting of ACE, CASC and the ICA Research Committee, April Bourgeois presented a paper by that same name. Unfortunately, I misplaced my notes from that discussion. However, the upshot … Continue reading

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