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Bill: Co-operative Act
Details
Submitted by[?]: Solentian Socialist Party
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: April 2151
Description[?]:
| Industrial democracy in the workplace increases job security, productivity and generally contributes to a safer, healthier and more efficient work environment. We believe the government should consider supporting the creation of Democratic Worker's Councils, essentially co-operatives practising self-management, especially in smaller enterprises and in businesses vital to the prosperity of local economies. This would help to ensure the national economy is unaffected by industrial strife, and help to empower local people interested in contributing directly to their own communities, increasing their opportunities, and so allowing people a greater choice between their producers of goods and services. There can be no downside to this programme. |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Government policy on Democratic Workers' Councils.
Old value:: The government does not intervene in the marketplace with regards to Democratic Workers' Councils.
Current: Democratic Workers' Councils are not permitted to run a business.
Proposed: The government encourages the formation of Democratic Workers' Councils through subsidies and tax exemptions.
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 03:47:47, November 28, 2005 CET | From |  Communist Fascist And Anarchial Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | we are in full support of DWCs, but are against tax exemptions as a whole. We will support this bill, but would like to look for a better alternative to thi. |
| Date | 15:34:58, November 28, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Socialist Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | Would you care to venture an alternative? |
| Date | 23:28:34, November 28, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Socialist Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | After having reconsidered this Bill ourselves, the SSP believes the current proposal is the most beneficial. On a personal note, our Party believes strongly in workplace democracy and the self-management of industry. However, we understand that not all Solentian groups share our views. We believe the encouragement of DWC, then, is a moderate and sensible alternative, a compromise that empowers our country's working people through co-operatives, without interfering in the general running of the market. |
| Date | 07:20:54, November 29, 2005 CET | From | United Centrists | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | We are not against DWCs, but we would rather the government remain neutral on the issue. As such, we continue to support the current policy. |
| Date | 15:01:42, November 29, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Socialist Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | Do the United Centrists not feel that we should encourage increased participation and responsibility in the workplace? |
| Date | 18:37:41, November 29, 2005 CET | From | United Centrists | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | Primarily, we fear the government showing favoritism towards one side or the other. Certain businesses are bound to complain about the benefits they are prevented from having soley because they are not controlled by DWCs. And though we do believe that DWCs could lead to increased workplace participation and responsibility, they are not always the best way to run some businesses. |
| Date | 20:16:00, November 29, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Socialist Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | We agree, which is why we didn’t include any mandatory provisions for their use. Our Party realises your decision is probably final, but let us explain the reasoning behind this proposal. Firstly, let us remember that the Solentian Republic uses a largely unfettered market economy. True, public services are publicly owned and provided, and we have made steps to ensure fairness in the workplace and general economic stability. That said, Solentia's economy remains overwhelmingly capitalist - and in such circumstances, cooperatives like DWC-run businesses will nearly always be pushed out of local markets by larger firms. The SSP believes that people are happier and more productive when they have a personal stake in society, and especially their local communities - and the best way to achieve this, in our view, is to open much opportunities for working people to involve themselves in the running of their places of employment. We do not believe enterprise should be the sole prerogative of the wealthy or the privileged - indeed, such a system runs contrary to the market's theoretical principles of open and fair competition between businesses. Without that, there is no choice. We hold, then, that the government should encourage direct participation in local workplaces, thereby opening up industries to new initiatives and ideas. Private businesses may complain, yes. But at the moment, they have sole dominion over the economy. The privileged always defend their privileges. We believe Parliament should, not show favouritism, but provide a fair playing field - giving working people a chance to compete, to run their own businesses, provide their own services, and compete with the big corporations on the open market. We assure our colleagues in the United Centrists, this is not an attempt to undermine the pursuit fairness, nor to undermine our economic performance through unfair trading practises. Our Party believes that increased democratic ownership in the Solentian economy will help to cement ties between communities, to strengthen ties to local businesses, and to create an ethos of social responsibility and citizenship. |
| Date | 06:38:44, November 30, 2005 CET | From | Communist Fascist And Anarchial Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | what are some of the alternatives available..... i would support the refomration of the whole workplace to be run by DWC's |
| Date | 07:09:08, November 30, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Socialist Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | These are the available options: The government requires all businesses to be run by Democratic Worker's Councils The government requires most industries to be fully run by Democratic Worker's Councils The government encourages the formation of Democratic Worker's Councils through subsidies and tax exemptions The government does not intervene in the marketplace with regards to Democratic Worker's Councils Democratic Worker's Councils are not permitted to run a business *** However, while as big fans of co-operatives, and indeed economic self-management in general, the SSP would have no ideological qualms with either the first or second option being introduced, we recognise that it is improbable such a motion would be approved - our respected colleagues in the United Centrists, for instance, are highly sceptical about even encouraging the growth of DWC-led workplaces via indirect financial support. Not to be presumptuous, as admittedly at the present time we do not feel confident abut this bill's future, but if the current proposal achieved the necessary support, would the CFAAP support it as a compromise solution? |
| Date | 08:57:03, November 30, 2005 CET | From | Communist Fascist And Anarchial Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | indeed we will |
| Date | 17:48:04, December 01, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Socialist Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | Are the United Centrists not going to respond? |
| Date | 06:57:28, December 03, 2005 CET | From | United Centrists | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | We apologize for taking so long to reply. We feel that, if put to vote, we could now support what the SSP has proposed. Perhaps we have been a tad bit too paranoid when it comes to DWCs. |
| Date | 00:37:48, December 04, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Global Justice Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | we would happily support the introduction of first two options, but would also support a compromise |
| Date | 00:46:11, December 04, 2005 CET | From | Ownership Federation Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | we fully support DWCs so would support the first two proposals, as well as this one.. seeing as everyone else fully supports, and UC is doubtful, we have enough support for the first two to pass even if UC doesn't support..... |
| Date | 14:36:02, December 04, 2005 CET | From | Solentian Socialist Party | To | Debating the Co-operative Act |
| Message | We appreciate your enthusiasm, but it's always good to find a broad consensus. The SSP is fairly sure the United Centrists would baulk at the idea of requiring "most industries to be fully run by Democratic Worker's Councils" (no offence intended), so for the moment we will leave the proposal as it is and move this to a vote. We would rather compromise and be sure of victory than to gamble, risk defeat at the expense of our working population, and alienate our parliamentary colleagues in the process. Let us all strive to avoid a confrontational approach to Solentian politics. Perhaps afterwards, however, we can discuss the future of DWCs in Solentian industry more thoroughly, especially considering the enthusiasm shown by several parties regarding a more socialistic approach to this issue. We are sure there are many interesting viewpoints, from all perspectives, that should be heard and discussed if we are to move forward as a country. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | |||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 384 | |||||
| no | Total Seats: 0 | |||||
| abstain |
Total Seats: 295 |
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