Factors Contributing to Major Social Change Underlying Tap - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Co-op Era

A framework to create a social movement in support of Co-ops

Factors Contributing to Major Social Change

Underlying Social Anxiety

• Widespread sense of

uncertainty and anxiety about the future

Tap Frustrated Groups

• Especially those

recently educated with limited job prospects

• Connect groups with

common issues – workers, farmers, white collar service workers

Academic Validation

• Facts, stats and

arguments that prove/ provide evidence that the population has been wronged or treated unfairly

Defense of the Status Quo

• Those who benefit

from the existing

• rder will first attempt

to reinforce it

• ‘Defectors’ that can

be won over accelerate change

Organize People around a Solution with Clear Benefits

Underlying Social Anxiety

• Can’t hide. Can’t spin. Can’t force. - Technology-driven transparency is shifting the

balance of power away from institutions such as governments and companies towards individuals.

• Next generation with new expectations - 87% of Millennials believe “the success of

a business should be measured in terms of more than just its financial performance.”

• People are stressed, fed up, and have few options. Half (48%) of Canadians are

less than $200 away monthly from being financially insolvent.

• The bottom 50% of the Canadian population have their hands on only 6% of the wealth.
• 40% of jobs could be lost to automation within the next decade.

Why is it an Opportune Time to Reenergize the Coop Movement?

• We can reveal a better choice to the general public.
• We can be a better choice for the next generation workforce.
• We can be an economic engine that better supports Government job

creation and community investment agendas. The time to act is now. Social anxiety and discontent is widespread and topical.

Lessons from Co-ops Past

Rochdale Rochdale Society Society – 1844

Merchant class degrading food quality raising prices so people banded together to sell food items that were affordable and unadulterated.

Quebec Cr Quebec Cred edit Unions it Unions - 1900

Unethical interest rates on credit and loans.

Co-operat Co-operative W ive Women’

• men’s Guild

s Guild – 1883

Led women's health, women's suffrage and pacifism.

U.S. Ener U.S. Energy Cooperat gy Cooperatives ives – 1930s

Provide power to rural areas large corporations considered unprofitable.

Fairtrade Fairtrade Far Farmer Co-ops mer Co-ops

75% of all fair trade ag products come from farmer co-ops.

Co-ops are generally a product of hardship or crisis that requires group unity and effort to solve

Patterning the Co-op Movement

Cr Create W eate Waves of aves of Ent Enthusiasm husiasm Stand Up to a Systemic Issue Foment Discontent with the Status Quo

Fall/Winter 2018

Led by Academia (UofG?)

Spring 2019

Led by OCA

Summer 2019 and Future

Led by Tier One Co-ops

Or Organize Academia ganize Academia

• Group of thought leaders
• Field and publish survey results
• Cite outrage-inducing corporate

practices (VS Co-ops ideally)

Canad Canadian T ian Teachers’ Federat eachers’ Federation ion

• 2014 Study on Youth Underemployment

Or Organize Y ganize Yout

• uth
• Rallies and live events
• Social media

Connect Y Connect Yout

• uth to Social Gr

h to Social Groups

• ups
• Corporate factory, agriculture, white

collar service workers and others in live events and social media

Ignite Change Ignite Change

• Key Benefit Messaging – clear

and consistent

• Media relations – press

conference and kits

• Road show
• Press conference in Financial

District

• Social media
• Arm OCA members with FAQs
• Harness global cooperative

resources – show of strength

• Ensure Co-ops stay aligned

Qual Qualify Co-ops ify Co-ops

• Set performance standards

Common Ideal, Common Ideal, Ind Individual ividually Expr ly Expressed essed

• A platform that links all co-ops in the

pursuit of a human ideal, but is customized to the advantage and relevance of each

• Comprehensive marketing/PR/Community

Converts and Cases Converts and Cases

• Win over corporate and Gov’t players that

might convert

• Identify sectors to introduce co-ops as a

better alternative and proof of concept

Co-op Movement - as the public experiences it

I’m fed up with the gap between rich and poor, unstable work and struggling to provide the basics. I’m fed up with companies that succeed at our expense. Cooperative Companies put the needs of people first and succeed as a result. There are so many admirable Cooperative Companies to choose from.

Give people a purpose Embolden first followers Stand up to a systemic issue Earn the support

• f allies

Create waves

• f enthusiasm

Creating the Co-op Movement Creating the Co-op Movement

The pattern at work behind all social movements The pattern at work behind all social movements – whether religious, political, class whether religious, political, class

• r commercial
• r commercial – have all followed a very similar pattern.

have all followed a very similar pattern. We can employ this pattern to create such a movement for Co-ops. We can employ this pattern to create such a movement for Co-ops.

Give people a purpose

Creating the Co-op Movement Creating the Co-op Movement

The pattern at work behind all social movements The pattern at work behind all social movements – whether religious, political, class whether religious, political, class

• r commercial
• r commercial – have all followed a very similar pattern.

have all followed a very similar pattern. We can employ this pattern to create such a movement for Co-ops. We can employ this pattern to create such a movement for Co-ops.

Though many chapters in our human history are defined by individuals who sought wealth and power at the expense of others, the population invariably wakes up and sees the wrong to be righted. The time has come to permanently break that cycle and patriate social and economic power to the people, not the few. Cooperative Companies believe the smartest decisions are ones that are right for the most people.

We Makes Sense.

We are not meant to be creatures compelled by appetites and baser instincts. We can be so much more than what we have become. When we pull together our minds and resources, the

• nly limitation holding us back will be self-interest.

Cooperation has always been the secret of our species’ success, as surely it will unlock the vast potential of our future. Cooperative Companies believe a great future for all

• f us begins in working together today.

Tomorrow Needs Us.

The grand desires of the few do not outweigh the needs of the many. There can be no great life for any one person until a reasonably good life is available to all. The essentials

• f a safe and decent life are not luxuries to be bought,

they are necessities and a veritable right. Cooperative Companies believe life’s essentials are a matter of common concern not individual profit.

Together In Need.

What can members do?

If you are among the larger, influential, well-resourced Coops, your active leadership of this movement is the lynchpin. All Coops can adopt this Unifying Purpose in their own way, in their own communities. Don’t give the opposition ammunition. Recognize the urgency of now. Act and support each other.