A Business That Serves Workers Will Become A
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Works in Progress Volume 29, No. 11 Serving the Olympia community and the cause of social justice since 1990. May 2019 A business that serves workers will become a business owned by workers Bethany Weidner Success in serving unions and lia and other area nonprofits, they with a California company called workers quickly needed more employees. And Union-Friendly Systems (UFSI), and The people who peer into comput- “Working Systems” was born as a way like the found- contracted to modernize a software ers on the third floor of the Mott- to pursue this dream. Working Sys- ers, these new package called MUMS that UFSI had man Building in downtown people didn’t created for the Communication Work- Olympia are about to embark No one wanted to give up come from for- ers of America (CWA). Another key on a new stage in their work- mal IT cours- achievement came with a contract ing lives. Working Systems this workplace that offered es—they too with the International Brotherhood of started out as an idea to offer developed Electrical Workers (IBEW) to supply tech services during the slack so many satisfactions, and program- the union’s 400 locals across the US season at Cascadia Research, served so many people ming skills with a program to manage their mem- morphed into an S Corpora- in their ber services. tion providing programming own idio- services to nonprofits and tems was structured as a corpo- syncratic A worker-centered workplace unions for the next 25 years, and to- ration by default—the newly ways. The business continued to add prod- day is in the process of converting to a ucts—a whole slate of software pro- minted owners hadn’t found But the worker owned cooperative. grams managing services and mem- others interested in taking on group bership, creation of websites and the risk and responsibility of still had Distinct from the start training and reporting. Sometimes such an untried venture. It to make The business was unique from its be- their programming task can be espe- turned out that many unions ends ginning in the 80s when computers cially satisfying, as when they added a needed this kind of support meet. were new and little understood. The drop-down menu with choices includ- and Working Systems’ client They owners were unique as well. Neither ing “non-binary” to replace the old base grew steadily. Starting small with needed to find ways to make versions Steven Kant nor Jim Cubbage was field that assumed everyone was male. the Washington Public Employees of their software that could work na- principally motivated by money. Nei- Other times, when there’s a critical Association, the State Labor Council, tionally. Early on, they connected ther had gone to school for technol- Sign Painters, United Way of Centra- strike action, they take pleasure in ogy. Jim was a biology major doing knowing that their software is helping. marine mammal research at Cascadia Research Collective. Steven worked Compared to a lot of businesses, Work- with computers as an intern at NASA, The appeal of a ing Systems has an absence of hierar- and later became involved with food chy. Pay is hourly and the range from co-ops, taught at an alternative high top to bottom of the (transparent) pay school, supported Nicaragua construc- co-operative economy scale is small. Neither Steven nor Jim tion brigades, naturally fiddled with is at the top. Benefits are equivalent computers and came up with software The easiest way to think about how and shouldering the risks and re- across the board. As befits an orga- to keep track of funds and other things. a cooperative differs from a typi- wards. nization that believes in the value of cal business is that in a cooperative, organized labor, everyone is a union Steven was running the math center people own it in common and make Olympia is fortunate to have the Northwest Cooperative Develop- member (the CWA). The owners are and teaching classes at the Evergreen decisions in common. There’s not also members, but not part of the bar- State College when its staff unionized. an outside investor who has ulti- ment Center located right here. They provide a critical introduction gaining unit. Because of the distorted He became organizing chair at Lo- mate control over the life and work way health insurance is offered and cal 443 of the Washington Federation of the business. The other big reason for anyone interested in converting to or starting a coop. Then they offer premiums are calculated in the US, of State Employees and in that role is that cooperatives are motivated by Working Systems like other small busi- honed his computer skills in combat service —to their members or to the guidance, support and resources to help make that conversion or do the nesses faced increasing difficulty this with some bulky old computers. He people who do the work —and not year in providing reasonable coverage brought those skills to Evergreen’s La- by how much profit they can reap. startup. Both Orca Books and Work- ing Systems are working with NCDC for everyone. As with other issues in bor Center just as local unions were Generally, people who join or form this workplace, the decision as to how wondering whether this new technol- cooperatives are also interested in on their transitions (see Orca Books notice on page 5.) to proceed came from members of the ogy could help them keep track of sustaining family businesses, fair bargaining unit. membership. trade, equitable community growth, A random list of co-ops in Olympia and even protecting natural resourc- Staying connected to the outcome “You have to make your own stuff” Olympia Food Co-op and co-op es —considerations that in a profit- workers’s collective of your work The next stop was Cascadia Re- driven business are contradicted by Programming is an isolating kind of search Collective where Steven and the profit motive. New Moon Cafe work that requires a lot of “me and Jim shared space and began helping the computer” time to produce out- The biggest and most familiar co- Dumpster Values groups to acquire and set up comput- comes. At the same time, everyone op in Olympia is the Olympia Food ers and networks in the days before the Capital Homecare Cooperative at this shop moves from the screen to Co-op. The Food Coop is a member- internet. Both kept on with part-time the help desk, which means they get owned co-op managed by a collec- Westside Cooperative Preschool work, which meant they had a freer to interact with people, solving prob- tive formed by the people who work hand in developing this new area. The Eastside Cooperative Preschool lems and making lives better. Scott there. People join the Co-op by pay- fact that they were their own bosses Breidenbach (who’s working on the ing a small fee or purchasing equity, meant it was easy when they decided Hidden Village—a manufactured co-op transition) said a visit to a union depending on their situation . Most to leave hardware and focus on creat- home community office can be an eye-opener when of the other co-ops on this list are ing custom software for their clients. you see a staffer struggling with the worker co-ops, formed by the indi- Cascadia Research Collective (not “The dream was to make things we software; you get to say, “we can fix viduals who produce the goods or exactly a coop) could sell at a really low price to small that!” and then do it. Two people do services that the business sells. They locals so they could have really good Orca Books—forming phone support full time, but everyone programs,” Steven said in a recent in- are their own bosses, managing the Working Systems—forming terview. organization, performing the work 4Workers, continued on page 11 Page 2 Works In Progress May 2019 Works In Progress Works in Progress (WIP) is a com- Special events munity newspaper based in Olympia, Labor in all its forms Washington and published monthly. The .Celebrate workers! paper was established by the Thurston Our theme for May which the enjoyment of life and the May 1, Sylvester Park, 3-7pm County Rainbow Coalition which pub- This issue is dedicated to Labor in all realization of the full human potential lished the first issue in May 1990. are possible. The determination of all 2019 NW Green Home Tour its forms, from waged to unwaged, la- Sat, May 4, 11 – 5 Our mission. The aim of WIP is to con- bor that takes place in traditional set- of us, the real creators of wealth in the Innovation, artistry and craftsmanship; front injustice and encourage a participa- tings such as factories, hospitals, con- world, is indispensable. —EQ remodels and cutting-edge work. Go to tory democracy based on justice in the struction sites, offices, schools, etc. to Theme for June: Where we find nwgreenhometour.org for a map and economic, political, environmental and less recognized forms of participation tickets ($0-$25 sliding scale). social realms and across classes, races a home and why. It’s not just about and genders. in the economic relations of society housing, it’s about a home. A home is May General Assembly like reproductive female labor, rear- Sat, May 4, 2 PM (visit tables How WIP is produced. WIP depends a place of refuge, where you express ing children, and caring for elders. All at 1 PM) at Sylvester Park, 615 on a volunteer managing editor, sup- your personality, where you might Washington St.