Imagine the world without anger, without greed. We have the power, the tools, the skills and the resources right now to build a peaceful world, where people live in harmony with the Earth and each other. This blog explores ways we are doing just that, one post, one change, one day at a time. Join me. Tell your stories. Ask for help. Spread your ideas for making the vision real and, well, ordinary.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Good News Friday: Bootstrap jobs create wealth in Cleveland

OCSEA workers march for worker rights in Ohio
OCSEA workers march for worker rights in Ohio

Ohio. The governor and legislature plan to outlaw collective bargaining, and they're doing it on steroids. Not only would their regressive bill, expected to pass any day now, stamp out collective bargaining to all public employees, but workers who strike would face prison time. That's just plain un-American.

Evergreen Cooperative sparks hope

The bad news gets worse, but there's hope. In Cleveland, the Evergreen Cooperative shares good news today: Through worker-owned businesses there, low and no-income workers are getting a chance to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and, in time, create wealth for themselves and their families

Who knows, they just might earn their way from poverty to tax brackets so high they might not have to pay taxes any more.

Imagine the possibilities when workers know their bottom line is directly affected by their participation. But hey, we don't have to imagine it. Take a look.



Tested model can be replicated

Did you notice in the vid that the Cooperative brought this model from Spain where it's already been tested? If they can show it can work in the Heartland, what's to stop other communities across the country from rolling it out at home?

Hope in Ohio. That's cause for celebration, and I'm singin' my happy song. What about you? Got something to sing about today?

Image courtesy Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA)
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We make peace in a million small ways every day.
All text and images, unless otherwise noted, copyright L. Kathryn Grace. All rights reserved.

4 comments:

Laughing Doodle 2022 said...

I still do not understand how our politicians think it's ok that non-public employees can have labor rights that public employees can't. Forgive my ignorance.

Good news like this program always makes me feel hopeful, in spite of all else that is happening around us. Thank you for finding this story and sharing it!

I always need more hope like this story brings, because I'm so wary of everything right now. You say "Imagine the possibilities when workers know their bottom line is directly affected by their participation." And I think, I've been participating in my bottom line for a long time, and now they want to change the rules on how I get to participate.

They just keep rolling us back. War for oil/peace, the environment, food production, the Patriot Act, abortion rights, social services, labor laws, on and on and on. Is it possible to stop a speeding train heading downhill towards a broken trestle over a bottomless canyon?

Evergreen Cooperative thinks it is, and so do I.

Deb Shucka said...

It's so nice to read something hopeful in the midst of all that seems to be going wrong in the world today. I've found myself wondering a lot lately how the government came to be responsible for so much, and wonder if somehow that hasn't been part of the reason those in power feel like they don't have to answer to their constituents. When did we become a country where big business trumps generosity and big hearts?

kario said...

What a lovely idea! I really believe that it is up to us as motivated citizens to create our own destiny and when we come up with creative solutions that work, we are living by example. Love it!

fullsoulahead.com said...

Very cool. I live here and didn't know anything about this! Thank you for bringing it to my attention!

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