2019 -- S 0815

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LC002059

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING APRIL 30, 2019, AS "THE STATE DAY OF THE COOPERATIVE" IN

RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Cano, Nesselbush, Ruggerio, Ciccone, and Bell

     Date Introduced: April 30, 2019

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Worker-owned cooperatives are business enterprises that are owned and

governed by their employees and have two common characteristics, member-owners invest in and

own the business together and share the enterprise's profits, and decision-making is democratic,

with each member having one vote; and

     WHEREAS, In 2012, the United Nations declared "The Year of Cooperatives" and

encouraged governments "to establish policies, laws, and regulations conducive to cooperative

formation and growth"; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island provided for the creation of Worker-Owned Cooperatives as a

recognized form of business incorporation with unique characteristics, through legislation that

allows workers and investors to form workers' cooperatives and specifically aimed at

empowering workers; and

     WHEREAS, Worker-Owned Cooperatives have a long and proud history of building

wealth, security, equality, resiliency, solidarity, and hope for individuals and families, especially

in those communities and among those populations historically disadvantaged; and

     WHEREAS, Because Worker-Owned Cooperatives are owned by their workers, they

concentrate as much on creating lasting and meaningful employment and good, healthy working

conditions as they do on generating profits for the owners/workers; and

     WHEREAS, Worker-Owned Cooperatives have as their express purpose and charter the

increase of equity, participation in democratic governance, control of working conditions,

security, and control of economic destiny for their members; and

     WHEREAS, The diverse communities of Rhode Island offer myriad opportunities for

entrepreneurship, innovation, development, and investment by Worker-Owned Cooperatives,

whose members hail directly from those communities and whose business activities directly serve

those communities and whose actions are directly accountable to those communities; and

     WHEREAS, Conversion of businesses to Worker-Owned Cooperatives to avoid closure

or sale to out-of-state entities, represents a sound and creative response by this State to the

inevitable retirement of Rhode Island small business owners; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby proclaims April 30, 2019, as "The State Day of the Cooperative" in order to celebrate and

promote the proliferation and growth of Worker-Owned Cooperatives in our State - businesses

which have demonstrated the ability to bring "the economic benefits of a fulfilling life with a

good job" along with dignity and self-determination, to individuals and communities around the

State; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Fuerza Laboral/Power of Workers.

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LC002059

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