OccupyForum presents: Making Our Workplaces More Democratic

OccupyForum presents: Making Our Workplaces More Democratic The Surprisingly Rich History of Worker-owned Co-operative and Communes in the U.S. with author John Curl and Members of Local Co-Ops Occupy Forum continues Monday, February 25th from 6 - 9 pm Global Exchange 2017 Mission Street Information, discussion & community! Monday Night Forum!! Most workers today have little or no say in the way their workplace is run and are largely at the mercy of the whims of the boss who has virtual autocratic control of the environment where they spend much of their waking lives. Even though we may feel there are no alternatives to the current structure, there is in fact a long history of worker-owned co-operatives and communes in the U.S. and there are many such businesses and groups thriving around us today, allowing workers to direct the way their workplace functions and to make their working lives much more democratic and fulfilling. Author, poet, professional woodworker and activist John Curl will tell us about the many forms of worker co-operatives which have existed throughout U.S. history and how the desire by people to escape from the tyranny of traditional capitalist structures brought them about. He will also talk about more contemporary examples of alternative structures for the workplace and about the role communes have played in the human desire for more freedom in the way we live and work. A member of numerous co-operatives and collectives, Curl, a Berkeley resident, has written several books on these subjects including the authoritative For All The People, a history of co-operatives and communalism in the U.S. He has written seven books of poetry and translated the works of Inca, Aztec and Mayan poets. We will also be joined by members of several local worker-owned co-operatives, including Arizmendi Bakery and Other Avenues health food store who will share their experiences of working in an alternative workplace, discussing the pros and cons of these organizations. Time will be allotted for Q&A and discussion. Monday 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Global Exchange 2017 Mission Street 2nd floor (#200 on keypad) near Mission and 16th BART. Donations to OccupyForum to cover our costs are encouraged; no one turned away!