[P2P-F] 12 things you need to know about protests in Wisconsin, USA + Unions and P2P alternatives

Thu Feb 24 18:47:17 CET 2011

On Thu, Feb 24, 2011 at 11:00 AM, Richard Schulte
<richard at flywheelcollective.com> wrote:
> Thanks Sam for bringing this up!
>
> Flywheel had the pleasure of meeting with the Ohio Employee Ownership
> Center several days ago.  We brought up this specific concept to Roy
> Messing, their Cooperative Development Program director, and he brought
> up a few possible constraints, but definitely an interest in the
> possibilities.
>
> Apparently it varies widely state by state, but laws around the use of
> pension funds, 401(k) programs, health funds, and other major benefit
> funds which are often held in common by workers can be somewhat
> restrictive towards investment.  However, he expressed that he would be
> further exploring the possibilities and spreading the idea.  The
> additional option is that some of the companies who employ these workers
> may also be interested in contributing towards these investments, and
> the imagination widens when other community investment groups are
> involved.
>
> After reflecting on that option, it seems that peer-based manufacturing
> could present a very interesting opportunity for many of the extant
> manufacturers to be able to assist in the 'fill-in' of their supply
> chains by lending towards the creation of extensive networks of small,
> agile, and lean micromanufacturing shops employing p2p methods.
>

Richard, thanks!

Is there something that we as P2PF can do to help with this
effort/initiative? Need help with research/structuring knowledge (this
is all stuff P2PF does) that can help make the case. I don't speak for
everyone here of course, and P2PF is an international group. But, I
know many of us are interested in this, and we're already actively
gathering info and synthesizing it into knowledge around some of these
topics. Plus, we (P2PF and Future Forward Institute/Forward
Foundation) are actively working to create and support capacity for
FLOS hardware and distributed manufacturing. Maybe if you have time
next week, we can talk about how we can work together on this via
voice?

-- 
--
Sam Rose
Future Forward Institute and Forward Foundation
Tel:+1(517) 639-1552
Cel: +1-(517)-974-6451
skype: samuelrose
email: samuel.rose at gmail.com
http://forwardfound.org
http://futureforwardinstitute.org
http://hollymeadcapital.com
http://p2pfoundation.net
http://socialmediaclassroom.com

"The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human
ambition." - Carl Sagan