>>So as for the US auto workers successfully self-managing the
>>American car industry, worker ownership isn't the only
>>precondition. Tnext big hurdle is that they have to want to be
>>responsible for management. I suspect that this might be a very
>>alien concept.
>
>Can't they hire managers ?
>
>I had a similar discussion on a FSP list a few days ago, where it
>was argued that worker coops (SCOP in France) can't be much good
>because workers aren't qualified to manage properly.
By "qualified", they probably mean certified. As though a bit of paper that certifies you as graduating from a business management school qualifies you to manage a business. But my point wasn't that workers might not be qualified, my point was they weren't motivated to self-manage.
>I pointed them at the SEC report on Jobs where it shows that
>basically Jobs has no education more than HS and a few semesters in
>Uni. If that's not an under qualified worker then what is ?
I recall that Jobs' first instinct was to go out an hire a manager to manage the new Apple. Which he said was a big mistake.
>SCOP in France do not require all the workers to be associates. The
>only requirement is (afair) regarding how earnings are used and how
>capital is raised. SCOPs can hire anybody to fill any kind of
>position.
Hire an American business manager? Isn't that the sort of management that got the American car industry into its current problems? But no doubt that's what they'll do, pay someone a fortune to make it better for them.
BHut about SCOP, tell me more. Such as, when you say worker co-ops in France aren't required by law to have all workers as "associates" (voting members I presume that means) does the law require co-ops to make membership (and its benefits) open to all workers?
The law doesn't require that in Australia. Except in the vague sense that uniform co-operative law stipulates that provisions of each (state) Act should be interpreted as far as possible in accordance with the international co-operative principles. http://www.ica.coop/coop/principles.html
This reminds me of another part of the story I recounted of the housing co-op. At one point when I was arguing for rent increases to cover our deficit, a couple of people suggested that maybe what we should do is deny membership to all new tenants from there on and instead of charging them rent calculated on income, like members, they should be charged full market rent.
So I suppose, to some extent, I was a bit unfair suggesting the members were all completely irresponsible. There was a spark of bourgoise responsibility starting to form.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas