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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- ALL MEDIA
February 1, 2002
MAJOR EASTERN CONFERENCE
OF DEMOCRATIC WORKPLACES!
Washington DC — "Eastern Conference for Workplace Democracy" — a new Eastern conference of worker cooperatives and democratic employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) will convene around this theme on July 19-21, 2002 at the University of Maryland, College Park, in suburban Washington DC.
The Eastern Conference for Workplace Democracy is planned for worker cooperatives and majority worker-owned firms with pass-through voting rights, organizers said. Goals of the gathering are to meet needs of participating democratic workplaces, foster mutual aid and intercooperation, provide co-op education and training, and build a workplace democracy movement. While it is not targeted to them, organizers said participants from firms that are not yet worker cooperatives or democratic ESOP's may also find the conference helpful.
"This historic conference is still in formation and we are hoping democratic firms will step up and shape it to meet their needs by offering program ideas and suggestions," said Leta Mach of National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), a sponsor. Hosts are NCBA and The Democracy Collaborative, based at the University of Maryland. Total fees per participant including room and board will be around $200, Mach said. Democratic workplaces from around the country, Canada and Mexico are expected to send representatives, organizers said.
Polling of such workplaces revealed various program interests, especially participatory management and inter-cooperation among democratic firms. Organizers said the conference will also allow more mainstream democratic enterprises to join with successful worker co-ops in dealing with common problems facing businesses that practice democracy at all levels. The conference's national database is based on "An Economy of Hope" a directory published by Grassroots Economic Organizing (GEO), said Bob Stone of GEO, a conference organizer. He added that it is ready for updates and new listings of democratic firms.
Program proposals are being received by a committee of representatives of democratic workplaces, including Chroma Technology, Brattleboro, VT; Collective Copies, Amherst, MA; Community Builders Cooperative, Boston, MA; Dollars & Sense Magazine, Boston, MA; Red Sun Press, Boston, MA; Equal Exchange, Canton, MA; I Am Unique, Raleigh, NC; Blue Moon Restaurant & Bakery, Asheville, NC; Southern Appalachian Center for Cooperative Ownership, Asheville, NC.
Also working on planning is a support committee of representatives from organizations including Cooperative Life, ICA Group, Ownership Associates, Ohio Center for Employee Ownership, Center for Democratic Solutions, Cooperative Fund of New England, Democracy Collaborative, NCBA, and GEO. Among sponsors is the National Center for Emplyee Ownership. Organizers are coordinating with the Western Worker Co-op Conference. Additional sponsors are welcome, they said.
For information or to offer program proposals, database listings, or sponsorship, contact:
Leta M. Mach
Director of Education
National Cooperative Business Association
1401 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005 USA
tel: 202-383-5450; fax: 202-638-1374
lmach@ncba.coop
www.ncba.coop
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