Presenters Needed At US Social Forum

Several conversations about the US Social Forum have crystallized into a couple of concrete workshops. And we need worker cooperators to present in them. If you're going to the USSF (www.ussf2007.org - in Atlanta, late June) or if you want to go, please consider helping present in the following:

1. Democracy at Work: Hows and Whys
A basic introduction to worker-ownership and democratic workplaces, focused on the practical aspects of creating or converting to a worker-owned business. What's the basic structure of a worker-owned business? How does a democratic workplace work on an everyday level? What's the difference between an ESOP and a co-op? How can you convert an existing business? Start a new one? And we'll talk a little about the benefits and challenges of worker-ownership, while keeping the discussion grounded in our experience and advice for prospective worker cooperators.

2. Organizing Economic Democracy Up, Down and Across
This workshop will look at some models for growing and organizing the worker co-op movement, using interdependent autonomous clusters, spinoffs, what corporatespeak sometimes calls "vertical integration" or the "supply chain," and other means of growing while staying small. We'll look at the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.

(or the "Third Italy"), local networks in the US, and worker cooperatives that have successfully encouraged or supported the growth of other worker-owned businesses in their industry or geographic region. What can we take from the the Third Italy, and how do these models work in practice in the US?

We are particularly seeking presenters who have some experience developing these networks, models, and practices in the United States.

Please contact Melissa Hoover at info@usworker.coop or (415) 379-9201 if you're interested in presenting or helping plan these workshops.

Thanks!
Melissa

United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives
PO Box 170701
San Francisco, CA  94117
www.usworker.coop
info@usworker.coop
415-379-9201