Union Co-ops and the Revival of Labor Law

Authors

Ariana R. Levinson, University of Louisville

Abstract

This article, as the first to identify and suggest solutions for the numerous labor law issues that must be addressed when establishing a union co-op, contributes to the existing literature on workerownership and cooperative economics. This article proceeds in four sections. The first section provides background about what union co-ops are, why unionization makes sense in the co-op setting, and the initiative to scale up union cooperatives. The second section, drawing on original interview data, provides background about the Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative and Our Harvest, the first union worker-owned co-op that the Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative incubated. The third section documents the labor law issues that those seeking to found union co-ops should expect to face, and outlines possible ways of addressing those issues. It identifies issues raised by the NLRA, the LMRA, and the LMRDA, and suggests ways that unions can legally support and finance union co-ops, including applying for funding under the Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978. The final section concludes. The article, thus, provides a starting point for those establishing union co-ops to begin the conversation with their attorneys about the legal issues they face. The article also serves as a foundation for scholarship about reforming the labor laws to encourage union co-ops and a more equitable economy

Disciplines

Dispute Resolution and Arbitration | Food and Drug Law | Labor and Employment Law | Law | Law and Society

Recommended Citation

Ariana R. Levinson, Union Co-ops and the Revival of Labor Law, 19 Cardozo J. Conflict Resol. 453 (2018).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cjcr/vol19/iss3/2