Are you a New York State worker, entrepreneur, or business owner who is interested in funded technical assistance for starting or transitioning to a worker cooperative? If so please voice your support by Tuesday, 9/27 for a pilot worker cooperative incubator and technical assistance center in the Southern Tier. Joe Marraffino (Democracy at Work Network) and Gay Nicholson (Sustainable Tompkins) will carry your expression of demand to the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council seeking funding to launch this new center.
It is the legislative policy of New York State to promote the creation of worker cooperatives - businesses owned and democratically controlled by their workers. The legislature recognizes that "cooperative ownership will result in increased job satisfaction and increased productivity and will enable workers to receive the fullest economic benefits from their endeavors," will "result in the creation of new jobs in all economic sectors, will offer greater economic stability," and "will discourage the movement of capital and jobs out of this state." Worker cooperatives are also an important tool for creating a green and just economy via community wealth building as "entities in which ownership is broadly shared, locally rooted, and directed toward the common good."
The regional Councils have until November 14th to submit their proposals for economic development in a competition for several $40 million dollar grants. We'd like to see some of those funds invested in social and economic justice. New York State residents, please click here to express your support!
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