Workshop explores immigrant challenges and the potential of cooperative businesses

On October 30, 2007, organizers and advocates from across the city gathered for "FAIR WORK," a workshop on the challenges faced by immigrant workers and the potential of worker-owned cooperative businesses. The workshop, sponsored by Center for Family Life, was part of our ongoing efforts to increase awareness of issues that impact immigrants in the Sunset Park community, New York City and the nation.

A keynote presentation by Annette Bernhardt of the Brennan Center for Justice described the growing challenges faced by immigrant workers – minimum wage and overtime violations, unsafe working conditions, discrimination, and retaliation for speaking up or trying to organize – and the Brennan Center's recommendations for legislative reform and strategies for enforcing employment and labor laws without driving vulnerable workers further underground. James Megson of ICA Group, a national nonprofit organization that provides advice and support for employee-owned cooperatives and community-based projects, outlined the elements of a cooperative business using examples from the U.S. and around the world.

The workshop featured a panel of organizers and worker-owners from pioneering cooperatives in the NYC area, including Colors Restaurant/ROC-NY, ReBuilders Source, UNITY Housecleaners/The Workplace Project, and the Center's own We Can Do It! Women's Cooperative. Panelists reflected on their experience in getting a cooperative business off the ground and the benefits and challenges of a worker-owned business model. Omar Freilla, director of Green Worker Cooperatives in the South Bronx, moderated the panel discussion.

FAIR WORK was generously hosted by Colors, a worker-cooperative restaurant founded by former workers from the legendary Windows on the World.

Thank you to Colors Restaurant and to all of the speakers, panelists and guests for participating in a very productive discussion!

For more information on participating cooperatives, please visit:

www.wecandoit.coop
www.greenworker.coop
www.workplaceproject.ny.org
www.colors-nyc.com