Feature Article

Meet the New Boss(es)

By Michael Blanding

Page 6 of 6

When it’s finally time for Rodney North to make his speech to his fellow employees and ask them to reelect him to the board, he points to his experience in navigating the slippery shoals of self-governance. “As a worker co-op we are going to disagree on particulars, but we are going to agree on the process,” he says, “and sometimes that is going to be messy or ugly. That’s something I have some experience grappling with.”

After all three contenders have spoken, their coworkers cast their ballots, ranking each candidate on a weighted vote of 1, 2, or 3. A few minutes later, the tally is read: Jim Desmond, 97. Steve Bolton, 148. North gets the second seat with a tally of 131. “My head is spinning right now. It’s a whole new world,” says Bolton over the din as employees head into the staff kitchen for a barbecue celebration.

With the election behind him, Desmond offers a few thoughts on where his candidacy might have gone wrong. “Someone said I should have talked more to the guys in the warehouse,” he says. “I never even thought about campaigning like that.” Then again, had he won, Desmond adds, he would have had to give up other responsibilities, like his ongoing push to get solar panels installed on the roof.

Originally published in Boston magazine, September 2007
 

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A great place to work
Posted by Keith | Aug. 31, 2007 at 9:55 AM
COMMENT:
Equal Exchange is a great company. Not only is their mission a good one, but they treat their own workers with respect as well. All companies should follow their example.
Good article and there is lots more to learn
Posted by Rebecca | Sep. 4, 2007 at 2:21 PM
COMMENT:
We are delighted to see the article. It is much more than the usual cursory look at the workings of worker ownership, providing useful and thought-provoking information. It has been our privilege to work with all of the co-ops mentioned in the article, as well as many more co-ops and community-based ventures throughout New England and New York state. The Cooperative Fund of New England has more than 30 years of successful lending behind it, and the Cooperative Development Institute has been helping new and existing co-ops and other group-based businesses around the Northeast for 14 years. Both of these non-profits have served people from every state in the region, from many cultural and socio-economic niches, involved in a broad range of enterprises. To find out more about worker co-ops and other types of cooperatives (e.g. housing, food, energy and other consumer co-ops; agricultural producer co-ops, community and 'hybrid' or multi-stakeholder co-ops), including how and why to

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