Liberating Our Futures Together: Building the Cooperative Ecosystem

The international Union Co-op Symposium is a two day conference that brings together over 250 practitioners, social entrepreneurs, labor organizers, co-op workers, community development practitioners, and people interested in practical tools on how to start and run union worker cooperatives. CUCI is building on the work of co-ops that have been present in this country for over 200 years, by using an international model from Mondragon, Spain. We wish to create a network of cooperatives in our society that serves the collective good by providing economic opportunities and goods and services with a purpose.

Since 2013, CUCI has been hosting an international biennial union co-op symposium to grow the union co-op movement. CUCI is one of the premier “living labs” for bringing this model to life in the US. To date, CUCI has created 5 cooperative entities/organizations, two cooperative support entities, and is the prototype union cooperative incubator for the country. The symposium provides practical tools on how to start and run union worker cooperatives. New this year, we will include how cities can support and incentivize worker ownership and cutting-edge business succession strategies through worker ownership.