The Real Coop Local Food and Info proposal [1] submitted to Cuyahoga County, for new economic and workforce development in Northeast Ohio, is designed to create 1,000s of new jobs in Northeast Ohio in career fields as diverse as journalism, communications, engineering, building trades, farming, food processing, warehousing and transportation. It has occurred to me for some time that most of the jobs we create have unions that represent their professions, including for all of the professions I listed above. So, should Real Coop pursue to develop these jobs as union jobs, and work with the unions to develop these workforces?
I have never been a member of a union, but I have friends who are. My general impression is favorable, but I am not certain of the costs and advantages.
I know some officials within some of the unions and expect an outreach to them, to organize the jobs we create as they are created, would be well received. I am ready to explore this matter further.
I am interested in the opinion of other Real Coop members on this issue. When it is possible, should Real Coop pursue to work with and create jobs for and through unions, should we avoid working with uinions and union member workers, or should we not have a policy on this at all?
Please elaborate... and let me know if you want to work on this matter further, for the Coop.
Links:
[1] http://realneo.us/content/real-coop-members-draft-executive-summary-real-coop-info-food-mission-cuyahoga-county
[2] http://realneo.us/content/help-wanted-local-food-processing-entrepreneurs
[3] http://realneo.us/content/rfp-request-partners-redevelopment-coventry-elementary-school-and-peace-park