Body
WHEREAS, an autonomous association of people united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise is known as a “cooperative”; and,
WHEREAS, Cooperatives foster democratic decision-making and entrepreneurship for all, including lowering the barrier-to-entry for newer businesses, prioritizing small and local sourcing, empowering individuals through shared ownership and cultivating local leaders who steward their business in the community long term; and,
WHEREAS, Cooperatives act as anchor businesses in the community, allowing profits to be equitably re-circulated to local stakeholders, ensuring that community members have a direct stake in the success of their businesses, and provide a stable source of jobs, wealth across generations, and studies show that worker co-ops often retain workers longer than traditional businesses; and,
WHEREAS, Cooperatives contribute to sustainable economic growth and stable, quality employment, providing jobs to 280 million people around the world, or 10% of the global population; and,
WHEREAS, Large cities like Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, Chicago, IL, California’s Bay Area, and Madison, WI, are all investing in programs focused on strategic outreach, community education, legislative support, and technical and financial assistance to support cooperatives in their mission to build equitable wealth across the community; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh is home to over 70 co-ops, ranging from bicycle couriers and food stores to construction, credit unions, housing cooperatives, and shared service cooperatives; and,
WHEREAS, The first cooperative on record in Pittsburgh was founded by artisans in 1819 at Front Street and Wood Streets and known as the Pittsburgh Manufacturers Association, helping its members thrive in a newly industrializing economy for decades afterwards; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh has led the cooperative movement in many ways, including holding the first national conference of the Young Negroes’ Co-operative League (YNCL) on October 18, 1930, which supported black-owned food co-ops and buying clubs, founding the Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives in 2015, and a Task Force on Employee Ownership in 2019; and,
WHEREAS, Many local organizations and businesses - Ujamaa Collective, Fourth River Workers Guild, Pinup Posters Courier Collective, East End Food Co-op and Credit Union, Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh Co-op, Keystone Development Center, The Big Idea Bookstore & Cafe, and Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives, and more - continue the cooperative tradition; and,
WHEREAS, The average Pittsburgher interacts with cooperatives on a regular basis, with the Pittsburgh area holding more than 100 cooperatives, ranging from food cooperatives to housing cooperatives, credit unions, worker cooperatives, and many others; and,
WHEREAS, The number of cooperatives continues to grow annually due to both new start-up cooperatives and the conversion of existing businesses into cooperatives; and,
WHEREAS, Various tools and resources are available to the City to support new and existing Cooperatives, for example, the Citywide Task Force on Employee Ownership sponsored by City Council that supported research, technical assistance, contractor preferences, and the establishment of relationships with anchor institutions; and,
WHEREAS, On June 19, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, underscoring the vital role cooperatives play in strong economies and thriving communities; and,
WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Pittsburgh is committed to supporting local cooperative businesses, a sustainable economy, and the well-being of people at work; and,
Title
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, The Council of the City of Pittsburgh, alongside the UN, recognize that cooperatives promote participation in the development of local communities and of all people, including women, individuals with disabilities, people of color, and Indigenous Peoples, whose inclusion strengthens economic and social development and does hereby declare the year 2025 to be "The Year of the Cooperative" in the City of Pittsburgh and encourages all residents to celebrate and promote the importance of cooperatives.