Monday, October 20, 2008

Yes We Can @ The Weave

Calling all workers @ The Weave!

Yes, we can make things different in our co-op. We can make The Weave a better co-op and a stronger business.

And yes, we can make a difference with this year’s Election for a Worker-Owner Director. The numbers are there.

A number of workers, who’ve spoken to me as I’ve traveled around the WSM locations, have said to me, what’s the point? We can’t make things different. No-one listens to us.

Wrong. We can make things different. We can make them better in our co-op.

It just needs the right Worker-Owner Director, who represents your views, and knows how to get the Board to pay attention.

Others of you have said, what’s the point? There aren’t enough of us to make any difference with this Election.

Wrong again. We have the numbers to make a difference.

We have a total of 92 workers registered to vote as Worker-Owners. Of those, some 40 Worker-Owners did not vote in the Election last year. If they vote this year, we can make a difference.

We have some 200 workers overall in WSM. That means 108 of you have not registered to become Worker-Owners, so that you can vote.

You can still register before October 25 (this coming Saturday), and you’ll be eligible to vote in this Election.

Speak to your Manager, or to Jason or Linda in Marketing, about registering as a Worker-Owner, and getting your secret ballot.

And here’s the thing. A whole bunch of you joined the co-op in April and May of this year, in the two new Hillsborough locations.

That means you just became eligible to become Worker-Owners. Once you have worked with WSM for 6 months, you are eligible.

So, check with your Manager. And register as a Worker-Owner before October 25.

If there were 108 more workers voting in this Election, we could all make a difference.

So, do what you have to do to vote in the Presidential Election. And then, pay the same amount of attention to helping to shape the immediate environment in which you work.

You have the power to make our co-op whatever it is you want it to be. Don’t give that power to someone else.

*******

If you’re still in doubt, come along to one of the Candidate Forums Jacob and I will be attending around Weaver Street this week:

A separate Forum will be held in each of the Weaver units. Managers have agreed to make it possible for Workers (not just Worker-Owners) to attend. The dates and times are as follows:

The Food House Break Room (also for everyone in the Administration Offices)
Tuesday, October 21, 10:30am-11:30am

Hillsborough Store Break Room
Tuesday, October 21, 12:00pm (noon)-1:00pm

Carrboro Store Break Room (also for our fellow work-mates at Panzanella)
Thursday, October 23, 11:00am-12:00pm (noon)

Southern Village Store Break Room
Thursday, October 23, 12:30pm-1:30pm

Don't fret if you're not free to attend the Forum in your unit. You can attend any Forum you choose. And maybe you'd like to hold off voting until you've had a chance to chat with your Candidates?

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