Principles of Cooperative Guilding

Everyone’s opinion is equally valuable; therefore, all members must have equal decision making power.
Everyone’s time is equally valuable; therefore, all members must receive equal hourly wages regardless of role, seniority, or any other discriminating factor.
Everyone’s labor is equally valuable; therefore, all members must have equal opportunity to volunteer for shifts or contracts.

Purpose

A cooperative guild functions as a labor agency in that it serves as an intermediary between workers and businesses via labor contracts.
A cooperative guild functions as a craft union in that it negotiates with businesses and lobbies lawmakers on behalf of workers.
A cooperative guild functions as a trade association in that it seeks to improve the quality of work and profitability of business within its sector.
A cooperative guild functions as a historical craft guild in that it offers mentorship and mobility.

Properties

Cooperative - All members have equal ownership and decision making power.
Non-hierarchical - There are neither leadership roles nor ranks.
Non-profit - Surplus profits are reinvested in the organization.
Undifferentiated - Every member is equally capable of performing all roles and tasks.

Administration

All administrative processes are non-hierarchical in nature; i.e., no leaders, no bureaucracy.
The general assembly and team meetings occur on alternate weeks.
Time spent meeting is paid at the same rate as all other labor.
The turn to speak is passed sequentially through the register.
Each speaker may submit one proposal before their turn is passed.
The following proposals are exclusive to general assembly meetings:

Membership

Prospective members must demonstrate their capacity to fill every role and function required by the guild, either to the general assembly or a dedicated team.
Upon induction, each member receives an index and joins a team.
A member can switch teams on their birthday, but never join more than one.
Membership persists until voluntary resignation or dismissal by majority rule.

Teams

Teams are administrative in nature, not managerial or operational. They make the decisions but they do not oversee or execute the work.
Teams can neither bar nor dismiss members, nor may they establish prerequisite qualifications.
Teams are subordinate to the general assembly, and any team decision can be overridden by a majority vote of the general assembly. Only the general assembly can alter the mission or scope of a team.

Compensation

The hourly wage is determined by the general assembly according to majority rule.
The amount of time allocated to tasks pertaining to internal operations is determined by the general assembly according to majority rule.
Payments to the guild and payout to the members must be open and transparent.

Scheduling

New shifts are distributed algorithmically so that everyone has an equal opportunity to register. The general assembly will determine the lengths of time for the sliding window and the registration window.
The sliding window is the period from which available shifts are selected by the active member, the length of which is expected to be on the order of months. The window advances daily.
The registration window is the period during which the active member can register for shifts, the length of which is expected to be on the order of days. There is only ever one active member at a time.
The active member can register for a number of shifts as high as the number of available shifts in the sliding window divided by the total number of members.
Shifts may be freely traded, one for one, but they cannot be sold or given away. Any shifts that are relinquished must be made equally available to all members.

Headquarters

Headquarters must be staffed exclusively by members and trainees.
Headquarters may not offer services unrelated to the craft except for those pertaining to basic hospitality.
Headquarters must contain all facilities necessary for training members and hosting meetings.

Contracts

To protect against discrimination, clients do not have the power to select their contractor. Once a client buys a contract, it is up to the members to volunteer for the position.
Clients make their payments to the guild and the guild pays wages to the contractors in turn. This precludes the perverse incentive to exchange quality of working conditions for pay.
If the primary contractor can’t make their shift, the guild is responsible for supplying a replacement.
Contracts can range in duration from a single shift to a semi-permanent arrangement.

App

While not essential to the establishment of the guild, an app should be developed at the earliest convenience.
All programming and data must be open and transparent with the exception of sensitive client data.
The app should facilitate scheduling, payments, communication, accounting, bookkeeping, task management, and teambuilding.
The app should host procedural and educational resources pertaining to the guild and the craft, respectively.

Advantages

Unlike labor agencies, cooperative guilds are organized in an undifferentiated and non-hierarchical structure.
Unlike craft unions, cooperative guilds empower workers with direct control over their shifts, wages, and working conditions.
Unlike trade associations, cooperative guilds provide work opportunities and mentorship.
Cooperative guilds are different from traditional craft guilds in numerous ways. Unlike cooperative guilds, traditional craft guilds:
- Operated under rigid hierarchies which reinforced economic inequality.
- Restricted decision-making power to an elite master class.
- Maintained exclusive economic privileges within their sector.
- Demanded lengthy apprenticeships from prospective members which often amounted to little more than indentured servitude.

*Last updated December 2024