The Law Center develops and spearheads targeted legislative and local campaigns that support the creation of cooperative economies.

Advocacy Campaigns

2015 - Present (2017) Oakland City Ordinance for the Promotion of Worker Cooperatives

Local governments can be instrumental in fostering the development of worker cooperatives by enacting policies that create incentives and remove key barriers to the growth of a thriving cooperative economy. But how do advocates for resilient, cooperative economies put their ideas into practice? Find updates on our current Oakland and Berkeley City campaigns, our ordinance language for both campaigns, and resources you can use to jump start local policy initiatives that promote worker coops as a grassroots, economic development strategy.

2017: California State Workers Comp Legislation

In 2016, the California Legislature passed AB 2883, making changes to the workers compensation law that failed to take into account and will have an adverse impact on cooperatives. In some industries, such as in food businesses, the cost of workers comp insurance will reduce workers’ take-home pay by as much as 11%. One worker-owned cafe has reported that AB 2883 will cost the business as much as $200,000 in 2017. A handful of cooperatives have convened to form a campaign group to change the law. Right now, we are gathering support from other cooperatives and organizations impacted by AB 2883. Find out more and get involved here!

2015: AB 816: Worker Cooperative Act - WE WON!

The Sustainable Economies Law Center is proud to be a member of the California Worker Cooperative Policy Coalition and excited about paving new paths to increase democratic, worker-ownership in California. In the 2015 legislative cycle, we worked successfully with Assembly member Rob Bonta to pass AB 816! The bill created a legal entity for worker cooperatives in California, incorporating some exciting provisions regarding membership, capital raising, and default systems for democratically governed, worker-owned businesses! For more information, please visit our California Worker Cooperative Act campaign page here or find our updated bylaws for the new worker cooperative corporation on our online resource library, Co-oplaw.org.

City Policy for the Promotion of Worker Cooperatives

Local governments can be instrumental in fostering development of worker cooperatives by enacting policies that remove key barriers and incentivize a thriving cooperative economy. By clicking the link, you will find a working draft of a sample city ordinance for the promotion of worker cooperatives.