Agaric Tech CollectiveAug 14, 2018

awoo! We're excited to be here in the #fediverse via #Mastodon , especially on this #socialcoop instance.

some #introductions -

we're a tech #coop scattered across
the US ( #Boston, #Denver, #Minneapolis )

#Mexico ( #Puebla)

#Nicaragua ( #Managua )

come say hi if you're in any of our neighborhoods. ;)

we build and love #freesoftware

are a proud #union shop with the #IWW

and believers in the #SolidarityEconomy

Show threadMayel - ghost account
@agaric Are you both a worker co-op and unionized? Can you please expand on that?
Aug 15, 2018 at 8:39amWeb
Show threadtechnical debt jubileeAug 16, 2018

@mayel Not sure if @agaric is following this model, but I was just reading about this the other day.

A Mondragon - United Steelworkers collaboration to help unionized businesses adopt a cooperative model.

https://community-wealth.org/content/union-co-op-model

The Union Co-op Model

Show threadAgaric Tech CollectiveAug 21, 2018
@protean @mayel in a modest adjacent way yes. one of our members has helped form a tech worker organizing committee in Denver. One of their focuses is helping incubate a new tech coop. helping unionized shops transition to coops would be rad too though.
Show threadJashAug 17, 2018
@mayel @agaric Hi Mayel. I worked for almost a decade at a workers cooperative bike shop that was organized with the #IWW . We decided that it was important to us to be a part of the labor movement even if we didn't have a boss to organize against.
Show threadAgaric Tech CollectiveAug 21, 2018

@mayel good question - yes we are both. The logic there is fourfold:

* be part of a larger formation that could coordinate benefits and services we as a smaller coop can't do alone
* more effectively participate in the growing #techunion movement needed to insist on ethical tech
* better lend solidarity to workers in other industries
* ensure our own coop stays democratic with a formal mechanism of worker control (we've seen other coops grow to become reformist/exploitative of workers)