For the second year in a row, both of the Elections for Board Director of Weaver Street Market Co-operative (Consumer-Owner and Worker-Owner) are uncontested.
I'm not going to get into a discussion about the single candidate in each Election.
They may be root-and-branch co-operators, whose sole interest is the reintroduction of democracy and transparency into our co-op (though their Election Addresses suggest none of this).
But for each and every one of the seven years in which I have been involved with WSM, I have heard, from both worker and consumer, their repeated wish that we behave more like a co-operative.
Whether it is treating our workers better. Being more inclusive when it comes to planning the future. Behaving with social and environmental conscience when bad economic times hit. Rather than retreating into normal conventional capitalist knee-jerk fear.
And yet. When push comes to shove. When it is time to roll up our sleeves, and tackle the corporatist demon that has possessed our senior management team, where are you?
We have a Board of Directors of seven folks. Four of them are elected. Two each year. We can take back our co-op in no less than two years.
But not if we allow the establishment candidate to get a free ride each year.
Sigh.
Now, you may think that all I do is criticize. In my defence, I would say that I criticize only where I see what could be better. I never criticize without offering an alternative. And I am even-handed. I don't just criticize the WSM corporate office management team.
Plus, you will never hear me say anything bad about:
1) Those of my co-workers who have yet to discover the delights of going on a date with me.
2) All of you who believe that, with the possible exception of Shangri-La, there is no greater pleasure than an evening spent enjoying my performance as Pop Vox ... !!
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