Sindicatos y cooperativas de trabajadores de Massachusetts unen sus fuerzas para ayudar a combatir la histórica brecha de riqueza del estado. Los datos del censo muestran que sólo un puñado de hogares tienen ingresos promedio casi 14 veces superiores a los del 20% más pobre.

Kevin O'Brien es un trabajador-propietario de la cooperativa sindicalizada Worx Printing en Worcester. Dice que los trabajadores quieren tener más voz y voto en las condiciones laborales, mayor seguridad laboral y una parte de las ganancias.

"Cuanto más sepan y entiendan sobre la propiedad cooperativa," dice O'Brien, "creo que el cielo será el límite de lo que podrán hacer para combatir esta brecha de riqueza."

O'Brien afirma que existe un gran potencial para que surjan más cooperativas de propiedad de los trabajadores debido al inminente "tsunami plateado" de propietarios de pequeñas empresas que se jubilan y que tendrán que vender o transferir sus activos.

Afirma que el modelo cooperativo ya existe para que las empresas lo reproduzcan, mientras que los sindicatos pueden ayudar a proporcionar los recursos que las cooperativas necesitan, incluido el acceso al capital.

El número de cooperativas propiedad de trabajadores en Massachusetts se ha triplicado en la última década.

Alrededor del 40% de estas cooperativas tienen una mayoría de propietarios trabajadores de color, que pueden carecer de otros medios para construir una riqueza generacional.

Soren Rose es trabajador-propietario de Circus Cooperative Café, en Cambridge.

Dice sentirse orgulloso de ser parte de un movimiento más amplio hacia el empoderamiento de los trabajadores y la sindicalización de los cafés, incluido el recientemente formado Blue Bottle Independent Union.

"Tenemos mucho en común con las luchas de nuestros compañeros sindicalistas," asegura Rose, "y nos gusta compartir recursos y asegurarnos de que todos nos unamos a una lucha más amplia por unas buenas condiciones de trabajo y de vida en la zona de Boston y el noreste también."

Rose dice que algunos clientes de la cafetería vienen por café, pero otros también para apoyar el modelo cooperativo.

Los legisladores estatales han creado una nueva agencia estatal para seguir desarrollando ese modelo y un fondo de asistencia técnica de casi $8 millones de dólares de pequeños subsidios para ayudar.



get more stories like this via email

A Montana legislative committee this week heard a bill to revise workers' compensation laws. Among opponents were workers who have navigated the system themselves. If a Montana worker were to get hurt on the job today, law requires insurance providers defer to the person's "treating physician." But Senate Bill 345 would remove that policy.

Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, says that helps insurers get the "best available evidence."

Amanda Frickle, political director of Montana AFL- CIO, a state federation of unions, said workers' compensation claims and cases are "meant to be deliberative."

"This bill is fundamentally tipping the scales against the injured worker and in favor of the insurance company when it comes to these workers' compensation claims," she said.

The bill would allow insurers to require an independent medical examination from a provider of the company's choosing, even if that means someone out-of-state. In that case, the insurer would cover expenses such as travel, lodging and child care. But opponents say travel is not conducive to healing.

Niki Zupanic, owner of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association, says that adds to workers' up-front costs.

"Many of these costs, whether or not they will eventually be reimbursed, are likely to be coming out of pocket ahead of time from the injured worker, while they're also working most likely reduced hours and trying to juggle other expenses with their families," she explained.

According to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, of all Montanans covered by a workers' comp policy, about 4% report an injury in a given year, or 23,000 people.

South Dakota's new governor is making an active pitch regarding economic opportunities for the state. The renewable-energy sector said it continues to build a strong case, including manufacturing jobs.

Gov. Larry Rhoden spent much of March crisscrossing South Dakota on his "Open for Opportunity" tour to hear about promising development, workforce needs and trade issues. It has not received a visit yet but officials with the Marmen Energy plant in Brandon said they are keeping busy. Nearly 300 people there construct towers to hold turbines for wind energy.

Dan Lueders, plant manager for Marmen Energy, called it the very definition of "American-made" products.

"It's fully American made with American steel," Lueders explained. "We're contributing to the American independence on energy and also providing good-paying manufacturing jobs."

The Clean Grid Alliance said the plant produces roughly 1,000 tower sections each year for shipment throughout the upper Midwest. Lueders noted with data centers and other factors driving up electricity demand, he sees more opportunities for his operation. Nationally, enthusiasm has been somewhat dampened by the Trump administration's push to roll back renewable-energy funding, with a stated desire to focus more on fossil fuels.

But utilities are increasingly turning to renewables to diversify their output as demand spikes.

Waylon Brown, president of Rushmore State Renewables and regional policy manager for Clean Grid Alliance, said if South Dakota keeps the welcome mat out for wind and solar development, other industries will want to set up shop here.

"They're looking for nearby energy generation when deciding what states to do business in," Brown pointed out.

In addition to the manufacturing upside, the Energy Information Administration said South Dakota ranks second nationally for wind energy generation. Brown said, for example, having a healthy power supply could be attractive to the health care sector, noting advancement in medical technology is one of the many other things requiring more energy use.

More jobs could be coming to Arkansas as companies interested in bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. consider the Natural State, according to a study by the Reshoring Institute.

Rosemary Coates, executive director of the nonprofit, said the state's low minimum wage is cost-effective for companies requiring a large labor force.

"What we generally encourage our clients to do is look at the major metropolitan areas and set up manufacturing just outside of that area so you can pull from the labor pool there," Coates explained. "Or to look at the metropolitan areas in places like Arkansas."

She noted although manufacturing remains cheaper in other countries, supply-chain problems experienced during the pandemic are making U.S. companies explore options for reshoring. The study did not address the financial effects of possible Trump administration tariffs on materials manufactured abroad.

Twenty states across the country, mainly in the South, pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. If labor is a high percentage of a company's costs, it could be less expensive to reshore operations. Coates added some companies opt to have plants in multiple countries.

"Bringing some manufacturing to Mexico and some to the U.S. and keeping some in Asia," Coates outlined. "Companies are really rethinking the whole idea and strategy about where in the world they're manufacturing."

She stressed labor rates vary between rural areas and major cities in every state. Other costs associated with reshoring include local and state taxes, training, tax credits and logistics.


get more stories like this via email