- This event has passed.
Decent Work and Democracy
May 20, 2022 - May 21, 2022
Join union-coops:uk for their first annual conference.
union-coops:uk’s first conference at Wortley Hall, near Sheffield, “the worker’s stately home” is rescheduled to May 20th/21st 2022, subject to this “Government” getting a grip on the Covid19 pandemic of course.
Set in 26 acres of parkland, this grand stately home venue was built by Sir Richard Wortley in 1586, but is now owned and run by a workers co-op.
The conference will start with dinner on the Friday evening, and will include overnight accommodation and all meals.
The full conference runs throughout Saturday with plenary and active learning workshops in the “world cafe” style. Delegates can sign up for the full 24 hour package, or just the Saturday sessions.
Topics include
- How can we ‘build back better’ after Covid-19?
- What can union activists do to fight for decent work and democracy?
- How can workers get control over our daily working lives?
- What can we do to promote democracy in the workplace?
- Do we have to accept the gig economy and precarity?
- Is the union co-op a model whose time has come?
Speaker line-up
TBC
Tickets
Tickets for the rescheduled event are priced at £160 for the 24hr package, which includes dinner on Friday and all meals on the Saturday, or £40 for day delegates on the Saturday, including lunch, coffees etc.
Refunds
All existing ticket holders have the option of a full refund if they are unable to make the new date. Please use the online Eventbrite refund request, or failing that email us with your request.
Our Aims
The aim of union-coops:uk is to promote and develop the union-coop movement in the UK. We have produced a Manifesto for Decent Work, https://union-coops.uk/about/ and and this conference marks the start of our campaigning activity to roll out this into the mainsgtream co-op and trade union movements.
Union Co-ops are fully unionised, worker co-operatives, owned and controlled by those who own and work in ithem. Trade unions are at the heart of this solidarity economy solution: a union co-op offers the potential for a 100% unionised workforce, with the union an essential part of the governance.
The union co-op model can deliver improved wages and other terms and conditions by eliminating top-slicing by external owners. It offers us an opportunity to reset the working world, harnessing the collective power of workers, their knowledge, skills and creativity through strong partnerships with unions.
Covid-19
We are arranging this face to face conference under the ever changing background of the Covid-19 pandemic, and so we wish to be clear about our contingency arrangements.
If a further lock-down prevents us from going ahead as planned, then the event will take place on-line at the same time/date free of charge.
Your conference fee will be refunded in full to your payment card by Eventbrite, who hold all the funds in Eskrow, and we will send you details of how to join us on-line.
Other refunds
If you choose to cancel for any reason up until 7 days before the event you may do so, and your conference fee will be credited back to your payment card less Eventbrite’s fee (approx 9% of the total)
Partners
All the rooms at Wortley Hall are doubles, so if you wish, you may bring a non-delegate partner, but please note there is no “partner programme” as such.
They will need to pay for their own catering – e.g. breakfast is £10. This must be arranged direct with Wortley Hall on arrival
Sponsored by BFAWU, MU and Co-operative Ways Forward.