The 5th National Worker Cooperative Conference is happening in Chicago May 30 - June 1.

This event is organized by the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives.

Plan to spend the weekend celebrating 10 years of the USFWC and all the efforts spent building the worker cooperative movement over the last decade.

Visit the USFWC website to receive updates and reminders from conference organizers. Full website and details will be posted soon.

 

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Center for Workplace Democracy invite you to learn more about best practices in financing worker-owned businesses.

 Join us on Oct 28 from 8am to 12 pm at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Speakers will include:

Mark Fick, Center for Workplace Democracy

Roy Messing, Ohio Employee Ownership Center

Margaret Lund, Cooperative Consulting

Victor Cortez, Salsedo Press

Rebecca Kemble, United State Federation of Worker Cooperatives

 

Join Gar Alperovitz, co-founder of The Democracy Collaborative, as he describes something brewing beneath the recent social and economic distress - including thousands of worker-owned companies, cooperatives with millions of members, states taking up public banking, and other new forms of single payer and cooperative health care developments.  

This book release and author tour comes to the University of Illinois Chicago campus where Gar will speak about his latest book - What Then Must We Do? - Straight Talk About the Next American Revolution.

This is a free event open to the public.

April 19th 7:00 - 9:00 pm

UIC Student Services Building

1200 W Harrison - Chicago, IL

Questions?   

Email to or Call 312-996-6671

This event is supported by

Nathalie P Voorhees Center, UIC

Great Cities Institute, UIC

College of Urban Planning and Policy PhD Students, &

Center for Workplace Democracy.

Click here to learn more about The Democracy Collaborative.

 

The Center for Workplace Democracy Presents

A Forum on Developing Cooperative Businesses 

for the Chicago Area

Friday October 26, 2012

1:00 to 5:30 pm

Hosted by Erie Neighborhood House

1347 West Erie, Chicago

Please note that this location is not fully accessible.

Suggested Donation $10 at the door

- REGISTER HERE -

 

Program for the afternoon

I.        Welcome and opening remarks

II.       Overview of Cooperatives

III.      The Economic Impact of Cooperatives in U.S.

IV.      Panel: Grassroots Economic Development in Chicago and the new wave of Cooperatives

V.      Breakout sessions - SESSIONS ARE SIMULTANEOUS PLEASE SELECT ONLY ONE

Workers cooperatives - What they are and how to start one 

Workers Cooperatives are contributing to strengthen local economies in US by creating jobs, building wealth, and giving worker-owners control over their working conditions.  Learn more about this business model and what it takes to start one.

Current models of cooperative development in US

From grassroots cooperatives incubated by non-for profit organizations, such as the ones started by the Center for Family Life in in New York, to multimillion initiatives sponsored by anchor institutions, such as the Evergreen Cooperative in Cleveland OH, there is a wide range of cooperative models that can be used to promote economic development in Chicago.  This session will explore these models.

Challenges and opportunities for non for profits starting cooperatives

Many non for profit organizations are looking into cooperative development as a strategy to create jobs in their communities.  Learn about what some local organizations are doing and what challenges they are facing.

A networking session for worker-owners

This space has been created especially for current members of cooperatives to meet and network.  Learn who other cooperators are, about their businesses, and lessons learned from their pioneer work.

VII.      Keynote speaker: Fred Freundlich, Mondragon University
VIII.     Closing remarks

This event is made possible only with the generous donation and support from our sponsors.

 

                 

 

Mark Fick will be speaking on cooperative economics as a part of the UIC Innovation Symposium on February 5. 

 

Learn how the cooperative model is used in Chicago to provide affordable housing, banking services and nutritious food to people across the city.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

9:00am  - 1:00pm

Loyola University

25 East Pearson - Kasbeer Hall

Keynote presentation by John Norquist of the Center for New Urbanism.

Panelists: 

Vinnie Hernandez, Dill Pickle Food Cooperative

Kristen Cox, North Side Community Federal Credit Union

Herbert Fisher, housing cooperative attorney

Mark Fick, Chicago Community Loan Fund

Charles Daas, Adjunct Faculty UIC