Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Thomas Beckett <thomas AT tbeckett.com>]

Please read one that doesn't! 

Several folks and I have assembled a panel proposal for SXSW 2012 to present the benefits and challenges of worker cooperatives in the IT industry. 

Representing a number of cooperatives including Quilted, Design Action, C4 Tech, Palente Tech, Gaia Host Collective, Third Coast Workers for Cooperation and Ownership Appalachia, we submitted a proposal for a SXSW panel called "Tech Cooperatives: A Better Way to Make a Living" that is now available for public review on the SXSW site.  Here is the link:
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/9313

Here's how we describe it: 
"Most experienced IT folks have faced the choice of freelancing versus working for an established business. Freelancing offers creative autonomy but not necessarily steady income. A job with a larger company provides a steady paycheck but often comes with creative and personal constraints. We are part of a growing movement among creative professionals who want an alternative to traditional business structures. The worker-cooperative business model enables IT professionals to maintain control of their work and life, produce excellent work, and retain the benefits of the value that they create, without sacrificing security. Our tech cooperatives offer the support and team approach of a firm but are entirely owned and democratically governed by the folks who work in them - us. This is a moderated panel with a focused, first-person discussion of different experiences of working in tech cooperatives. We will explain why a growing number of IT professionals prefer working in a co-op setting, the advantages and drawbacks of a democratic workplace, and the processes of starting and maintaining a worker cooperative."
 
I humbly ask that you take a look at our proposal and give it your vote.

Many thanks,

Thomas

P.S. We have assembled a list of active IT co-ops in the U.S. and Canada. If you know of any not included here, please let me know. 

Active Tech Co-ops & Collectives:
Gaia Host Collective (Hosting, MA) - http://gaiahost.coop/
C4 Tech & Design (Web production, design, support, repair; New Orleans) - http://www.c4tech.com/
Quilted (Web Design, CA) - http://quilted.coop/
Web Collective (Web & Software Design, WA) - http://www.webcollective.coop/
Design Action Collective (Web & Print Design, CA) - http://designaction.org/
Electric Embers (Hosting, CA) - http://electricembers.net/
Ronin Tech Collective (Web Design, VT) - http://www.ronin.coop/
Tech Collective (IT support & Web Design, CA) - http://www.techcollective.com/
Union Technology Cooperative (support, network, repair; Madison, WI) - http://www.utcwisconsin.com/
Flywheel Tech Collective (software & Web development, design; Cleveland, OH) - http://www.flywheelcollective.com/
Koumbit.org - (Web development, design, hosting; Montreal, Canada)
Analog (Web design; various) - http://analog.coop/
Palante Technology (Web dev; Brooklyn) - http://palantetech.com/
Praxia Tech (Web & network mgt services; Chicago) - http://www.praxiatech.com/
Data Systems, Inc. (business software; Burlington, VT) - http://www.datasystems.coop/

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Thomas A. Beckett        "At the intersection of business & creativity."
828-713-1668                  Hendersonville & Asheville, North Carolina
Mountain South Business Law                   <http://www.tbeckett.com>
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