Letter: Expand Worker Coops In Massachusetts For A More Secure Financial Future

Massachusetts is a Commonwealth. Our laws should help everyone prosper but, while corporate power and profits have skyrocketed in recent decades, working people have seen good, stable jobs all but disappear.

On March 30 at the MA State House, the Coalition for Worker Ownership & Power (COWOP) sponsored a rally, press conference, and lobby day in an effort to expand worker ownership of enterprise so that all Bay Staters can thrive. COWOP’s policy platform supports opportunities for good jobs that build wealth for working families and shared prosperity for communities The Cooperative MA Platform – COWOP. Founded in 2019, the Coalition for Worker Ownership and Power  is a statewide collaboration of worker co-ops, developers, grassroots organizations, labor unions, funders, and investors that resource and coordinate the advancement of worker ownership across Massachusetts, a proven strategy to enhance community vibrancy locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.  COWOP’s policy platform has been shaped by research and input from cooperative and grassroots stakeholders across the Commonwealth and support from the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives.  

Worker cooperatives offer high-quality jobs that enable worker-owners to benefit from their labor and build a more secure financial future. By putting profits in the hands of workers, we can build wealth for working families.

Below is our joint testimony to the Massachusetts Legislature:

“Thanks for this hearing on bills before and under consideration by the Massachusetts State legislature. Your interest and support are enormously appreciated by all of us in the community who have been working long and hard to bring this information to you.

“My name is Rand Wilson. Today I’m presenting testimony on behalf of myself and Mary Hoyer. I chair the boards of the ICA Group, a worker co-op technical assistance nonprofit, and the Fund for Jobs Worth Owning. I’ve been a union organizer for 40+ years. Mary Hoyer is a retired member of the American Federation of Teachers Local 1018 and chairs the Wellspring Labor Co-op Committee. We both are members of the Union Co-ops Council of US Federation of Worker Co-ops.

“Today we’re supporting two pieces of legislation that have been promoted out of committee:

1) An Act Enabling the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership (H 511 / S 261), which will formalize and establish an advisory board for this crucial agency which has already been included in the state budget; and

2) An Act ensuring fair worker representation on corporate boards of directors (S 1223) which would give workers a much-needed voice in governance and management of larger corporations.

“We’re also supporting three related pieces of legislation and budget requests still in development:

3) a funding increase for technical assistance to nonprofits for co-op development; and

4) funding for grants and loan guarantees for worker co-ops.

“Research over many years in many countries and environments has shown that enterprises owned and governed by workers are stronger and more productive institutions than businesses in which workers are ignored and/or taken advantage of. In addition they strengthen workers to participate more viably in their families and help anchor wealth in local communities. Workplaces and communities come alive when workers participate in the decisions around their work and share the profits.

“Worker ownership of enterprise is a key strategy for making our state and local economies more energetic, sustainable, and viable. States around the country are adopting this strategy to very positive effect. Massachusetts should be a leader in these efforts.

“The pieces of legislation and budget requests mentioned here are being supported and moved by Representatives Paul Mark, Erika Uyterhoeven, and Carmine Gentile, and Senators Julian Cyr, Jason Lewis, and James Eldridge. I thank you all for your commitment and hard work. We hope those of you listening today will sign up to support this work along with them.”

Mary Hoyer and Rand Wilson