pvgrows spring forum: "good food and good jobs in the pioneer valley," neighboring food...
DESCRIPTION
NFCA Executive Director Erbin Crowell was keynote presenter at the PVGrows Spring Forum on "Good Food and Good Jobs in the Pioneer Valley" in Holyoke, MA, in April 2014. What are “good food jobs” and what can we do to support their creation? What role can co-operative enterprise play in building more resilient local economies that can sustain good jobs over time?TRANSCRIPT
Erbin&Crowell &
Neighboring*Food*Co.op*Association*[email protected]*
PVGROWS(SPRING(FORUM:(
THE&HANDS&THAT&FEED&US&&
Jobs(must(exist(in(order(to(be(“good”…(
For(jobs(to(exist,(business(must(be(resilient…(
A(business(is(more(resilient(when(key(
stakeholders(feel(loyalty…(
Stakeholders(feel(more(loyalty(when(they(have(a(
sense(of(empowerment…(
Democratic(ownership&and&participation(strengthens(our(sense(of(empowerment…(
The(same(can(be(said(for(food&systems,&communities,&and&economies.(
www.nfca.coop(
SOME(THOUGHTS(ON(GOOD(JOBS(
Erbin(Crowell(
International&Fair&Trade& Addressing(inequities(between(global(North(&(South(
Domestic&Fair&Trade& Many(of(these(relationships(
also(exist(locally(
CoBoperative&Enterprise&& A(democratic(alternative(
relevant(across(the(food(
system(&(economy:(
producers,(workers,(
consumers(
Erbin(Crowell( www.nfca.coop(
THE(CHALLENGE(OF(“FAIR(TRADE”(
Cornelius(Key(and(his(father,((Federation(of(Southern((
CoXoperatives,(Georgia(
Erbin(Crowell( www.nfca.coop(
COXOPERATIVE(VALUES(&(GOOD(JOBS(
SelfXhelp(
SelfXresponsibility(
Democracy(
Equality(
Equity(and((
Solidarity&www.ica.coop(
“Studies(on(loyalty(have(found(that(
companies(lose(half&their&customers&in(five(years,(half&of&their&employees&in(four(years,(and(half&their&shareholders&each(year.((This(low(level(of(loyalty(can(
reduce(a(company’s(performance(by(
25%&to&50%&or(even(more.”((
(D.(Côté:(2003)(
Erbin(Crowell( www.nfca.coop(
LOYALTY(&(GOOD(JOBS(
“CoXops(are(more(
financially(successful(
than(observers(may(
realize,(but(their(real(
value(comes(from(
their(ability(to(keep(
alive(the(‘social&contract’&of&communities.”((
(Lotti: (2006)((
Erbin(Crowell( www.nfca.coop(
EMPOWERMENT(&(GOOD(JOBS(
Participation(supports(enterprise(
resilience(
Resilience&sustains&community&infrastructure&and&supports&good&jobs&over&time&
www.nfca.coop(
RESILIENCE(&(GOOD(JOBS(
Erbin(Crowell(
CoXops(“in(their(various(
forms,(promote(the(
fullest&possible&participation&in(the(economic(and(social(
development(of(all(
people,(including(
women,(youth,(older(
persons,(persons(with(
disabilities(and(
indigenous(peoples…”(
(United(Nations,(2009)(
www.nfca.coop(
DEMOCRACY(&(GOOD(JOBS(
Erbin(Crowell(
www.nfca.coop(
FOOD(COXOPS(&(GOOD(JOBS(
17&food&coBops,&1,250&jobs& VT(coXops(among(top(25(employers(
Better&wages& Average(wage(18%(higher(
More&fullBtime&jobs& Food(coXops(62%(fullXtime(vs.(34%(
Access&to&benefits& Ownership,(discounts,(paid(leave(
Lower&staff&turnover& Food(coXops(36%(vs.(59%(
More&equitable&pay&ratios& Food(coXops(average(1:3(vs.(1:5(
Longer&tenure& Career(ladders,(skill(building(
Workplace&participation& Participatory(and(collective(mgmt((
Buying&local& $33(million(in(local(purchases(
Doug (Hoffer ( ( 2008) (
Erbin(Crowell(
Domestic&Fair&Trade&Association&Vision:&
The(agriculture(and(economic(system(is(a(
healthy(community...(FamilyXscale(and(
communityXscale(farms(and(businesses(
thrive.((All&people&recognize&the&realities,&challenges,&and&effects&of&production,&distribution,&and&labor&and&choose&to&participate&in&fair&trade.(
http://www.thedfta.org(
( www.nfca.coop(
STAKEHOLDERS(&(GOOD(JOBS(
Erbin(Crowell(
Our&Vision&Includes&a&World&Where…& Contributions(of(all(workers(and(farmers(are(
valued…(
Fair(Trade(is(synonymous(with(fair(wages,(fair(
prices,(and(fair(practices…(
Risks(and(rewards(are(equitable(and(shared,(and(
this(information(is(open(and(available(to(all(
stakeholders…(
Strong(local(communities(are(the(foundation(of(
society…(
Power(is(shared;(development(is(communityX
driven(and(cooperative…(
www.nfca.coop(
STAKEHOLDERS(&(GOOD(JOBS(
Erbin(Crowell(
www.nfca.coop(
STAKEHOLDERS(&(GOOD(JOBS(
DOMESTIC FAIR TRADE ASSOCIATION MEMBER GROUPS
FARM WORKERS� ORG. MEMBERS
FARMER & PRODUCER MEMBERS
PROCESSOR & MARKETER MEMBERS
RETAILER MEMBERS
CIVIL SOCIETY / NGO MEMBERS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2 SEATS
2 SEATS
2 SEATS 1 AT-LARGE
2 SEATS
2 SEATS
Proposed(board(structure(for(representation(of(all(stakeholder(groups(in(governance.(
(2006)(
Building&stakeholder&participation&into&food&system&dialog.&
Erbin(Crowell(
GOOD&JOBS&
OWNERSHIP(
DEMOCRACY(
EMPOWERMENT(
LOYALTY(
RESILIENCE(
www.nfca.coop(
PVGROWS(&(GOOD(JOBS(
Erbin(Crowell(
www.nfca.coop(
THANK(YOU(
Erbin(Crowell(
&
Erbin&Crowell&
Neighboring*Food*Co.op*Association*[email protected]((//((www.nfca.coop(