May Day Worker Cooperative Workshop Kicks Off Research Team Speaker Series

By Emerson Bannon Cutri

On Friday, May 1st, the Erie Research Team held a workshop on cooperatives and worker ownership in downtown Erie. Around 40 people packed the room at St. Paul’s Cathedral on W. 7th St, affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The headline speaker was Autumn Vogel, an experienced cooperative developer and progressive member of Meadville City Council.

Cooperatives are businesses run by members on set of principles including democracy and shared ownership. For example, in a worker cooperative the business is co-owned equally by the workers, and in a housing cooperative it is owned by its residents. The Erie Research Team is a volunteer-run policy and research group, which works with local grassroots organizations and progressive public officials, and is the publisher of Portside. This was the inaugural event of their Speaker Series, giving an alternative perspective to the traditional events held by other organizations in Erie.

May 1st is known around the world as May Day or International Workers Day, a day recognizing the achievements and goals of workers and the labor movement. It has been more obscure in the United States compared to other countries, but has gained traction in the last decade as a day of protest against deepening wealth inequality and rising authoritarianism. This year May Day fell on Friday, and in Erie there were at least 4 known events taking place, many opposing the Trump administration and highlighting the affordability crisis.

For this event, organizers wanted to highlight a positive alternative to oligarchy and capitalism that could be feasible locally for May Day. They argued direct worker ownership would bring democracy to the workplace, and could be an untapped tool for economic development in the region. Most cooperatives are taxable entities, and models like housing cooperatives could provide affordable housing while growing the City’s tax base.

Regional examples of successful cooperatives were highlighted, such as the Northwest Pennsylvania Investment Cooperative in Meadville, the Evergreen Cooperatives in Cleveland, and the Nickel City Housing Cooperative in Buffalo. Officials from the City of Erie, Borough of Wesleyville, and City of Meadville were present at the event. Facilitators from the Salamander Salon events were also in attendance, and set up their ‘civic quest board’ for participants to get engage in local politics.

After an introduction by the Research Team, and the main presentation by Autumn Vogel, attendees broke into work sessions where they tried to address a need in the community through cooperatives. Attendees chose a number of models at their respective tables, but the overwhelming issue they chose to address was housing. Many of the attendees were affiliated with Erie County United and their tenant organizing work.

Other attendees included representatives of the economic development community, including Sally Guzik, the President of the Fourth Economy consulting firm. Vogel highlighted both traditional housing cooperatives co-owned by their residents and resident-owned communities(ROCs), which serve a similar function for manufactured homes.

After the conclusion of the event, the organizers took some questions and gave a ‘thank you’ to team members, St. Paul’s, and sponsors. Herb & Honey Bakery donated food to the event, and Fourth Economy(part of Steer Group) was the primary sponsor.

Organizers considered the event a success and wished the crowd a happy May Day.

For more information on Worker Cooperatives, check out resources from Cooperation Buffalo.

(note: the author of this piece is the elected lead of the Erie Research Team as of the time of publication, and spoke at the event)