THE PLATFORM COOPERATIVISM CONSORTIUM

The Platform Cooperativism Consortium (PCC) supports the cooperative platform economy through research, experimentation, education, advocacy, documentation of best practices, technical support, the coordination of funding, and events.

The Consortium is built upon the concept of platform cooperativism, which is anchored in collective ownership, democratic governance, a decisive commitment to the global commons, inventive unions, social justice, as well as ecological and social sustainability.

Contributors from academia, platform co-op enterprises, independent software developers, artists, designers, lawyers, activists, publishing outlets, and funders, respond to genuine needs in the digital economy.

Goals

  • Seek funding for projects that support the cooperative platform economy (PCE)
  • Emphasize the importance of the pro-commons model for the on-demand economy
  • Develop policy recommendations
  • Experimentation with new funding opportunities
  • Support platform co-ops
  • Experimentation
  • Facilitate events that serve as introduction to the ethical guidelines of the cooperative platform economy and promote the mindset of cooperativism
  • Provide co-working spaces to experiment (network of co-working facilities)
  • Advocate and advance projects by members of the Consortium and the CPE community at large

Technology

  • Provide a web presence for cooperative labor platforms using free software 
  • Assemble platform co-op startup kit
  • Develop best practices
  • Function as design consultancy to achieve more competitive user experiences
  • Promote a portable reputation and ID system for platform workers
  • Data rights protection
  • Develop web extensions for regional platform co-op chapters (e.g., Platformcoop-Berlin).
  • Currently several of them are hosted on Facebook, which contradicts what we stand for.

Legal

  • Formulate legal templates for platform co-ops
  • Work on licenses that advance collaboration between co-ops
  • Further policy suggestions on a municipal level to support the emerging ecosystem

Initial Research Topics

  • re-think the ICA principles for the cooperative platform economy
  • publish vital and substantive commentary, research, and resources
  • co-design and service design practices
  • ownership of big data for cooperatives
  • adapt lean startup methods for new platform co-ops, and help existing
  • co-ops to create new products and services
  • improve interoperability between co-ops
  • research the history of cooperative practices and the Internet
  • cooperatives, the future of work, and the “sharing city”

Events

  • field defining conferences, workshops, DiscoTechs
  • platform co-op events at The New School are scheduled for 2016, 2017, and 2018
  • introduction to the concepts and mindset also as part of larger local events

Advocacy

  • Facilitate education about Floss and history of co-op movement
  • Research possible relationships between unions and platform co-ops
  • Nurturing change and repositioning of trade unions
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