Reflecting on the Movement: Brian Donovan

[Editor's note: We'll be sharing responses to our survey asking cooperators to reflect on the last 20 years of worker cooperative development. If you'd like to share your thoughts, you can complete the survey here.]

When did you first become involved with the worker cooperative movement?
2012

What were your hopes for the worker cooperative movement at the time that you first became involved?
Shifting the wealth gap, labor pimacy over capital

In what ways have those hopes been realized? In what ways haven't they been?
Wealth gap still grows.  Labor is starting to see more power.   Fear of jobs drying up in the future.  Panic in the working class.  Immigrants are job stealers narrative.

What has your experience been with national and regional worker co-op organizations? In what ways have they been beneficial for worker co-ops?
I like what Esteban has done with USFWC.  DAWI research has been handy with lobbying efforts.  Seed Commons - hard to see their impact.  Democracy Collab - Seems to have gotten some traction with electeds and institutions.  Same with Project Equity.  

What would you like to see national and regional worker co-op organizations do going forward? Where do you think their focus should be?
I like the Italian model.  Marketing for existing coops in a sector.  Financing for coop startups especially social coops.  Lobbying support at local and state level. direct action at all three governmental levels.  AI can't take care of service work.  Lobby to pay a living wage for care, education, special ed, and special employment, Universal income, loans against future universal income to support worker coop biz development.