Author Archive: momanklang

Request for $1.5 million to fund the Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

Posted on

The Worker-Owned Recovery California (WORC) Coalition needs your help in asking the State of California to invest in employee ownership! In 2022, Governor Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 1407, the California Employee Ownership Act, which creates the Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. The Hub is designed to establish the infrastructure necessary to increase employee ownership throughout California. We are asking the State of California to invest $1.5 million to fund the newly-created Hub at a basic level for three years.

Employee ownership is a well-proven strategy for business resilience and productivity, wealth-building and quality jobs for workers, and strong local economies. Given California’s significant budget deficit this year, this is the right time for California to invest this modest amount in worker ownership, as it will preserve small businesses, protect jobs, and save the state money. We at the WORC Coalition ask that you sign on to the letter below to ask the State of California to invest in worker ownership now, to the benefit of workers, small businesses, and local economies!

WORC Coalition Meeting – March 13, 3pm PT

Posted on

It’s been a while! Thanks for bearing with your Core planning team as we recalibrate after some departures, including of our brilliant coalition coordinator, Bernadette King Fitzsimons. But your volunteer Core team has continued strong, and we owe you an update.

Please save the date for a WORC Coalition Update Call:  Wednesday 3/13, 3 pm

We were last in touch with y’all after the disappointing move by the California legislature last budget season to reject our budget request to staff and resource the California state Employee Ownership Hub amidst a historic deficit. Not great, but we have a plan.

Senator Becker was the lead sponsor of the California Employee Ownership Act (SB1407) back in 2022; WORC Coalition co-sponsored. Last year, the budget ask was $5 million, this year, in consultation with CalOSBA which will house the Hub, he reduced the request to $1.5 million which is just enough to staff the Employee Ownership Hub for three years, and a more feasible ask given this year’s $30M+ budget deficit.

There is also some federal news to share, so stay tuned.

We say all this to peak your interest in our coalition-wide call on March 13th. We will discuss these recent developments — and opportunities — in depth.

Keep in mind, there will also be work to do in the near future (e.g., sign on letters, emails, texts, etc), and we could use your help not only by joining the call on the 13th, but also by getting the word out. We want to make it easy to make your voice heard.

We will be as timely as scheduling allows (sometimes we find out a deadline only 48 hours in advance), and we won’t spam you. When we send an “ASK” email, we really need your help.

Hope to see you on the 13th!

WORC Coalition Core Team

Two easy ways you can ask California to fund the Employee Ownership Hub

Posted on

Last year, Governor Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 1407, the California Employee Ownership Act, which mandates the establishment of the Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz). The Hub is designed to increase access and reduce barriers to employee ownership, allowing many more workers and small businesses across California to reap the benefits of employee ownership. However, the State of California has not allocated money to fund the Employee Ownership Hub. We are asking the State of California to allocate $5 million to fund the Employee Ownership Hub.

Employee ownership is a well-proven strategy for business resilience, and creates wealth-building opportunities, workplace control, quality jobs for workers. There is compelling evidence that employee ownership saves the government money, as employee-owned businesses are more resilient during economic downturns and far less likely to lay off workers. With a potential budget shortfall looming, there is no better time for California to invest in worker ownership to preserve small businesses, protect good jobs, and save the State money. Please take a few minutes to complete these 2 easy advocacy asks to urge the State of California to fund the Employee Ownership Hub: 

 1. Tweet at CA Senate Budget Leadership to ask them to fund the Employee Ownership Hub:

Take a moment to tweet at California Legislative Budget Leaders to ask them to fund the Employee Ownership Hub! Here is how:

  • Sample Tweet: “Please fund the Employee Ownership Hub within @CAGoBiz! Employee ownership creates wealth-building opportunities and good jobs for workers, preserves small businesses, and strengthens local economies! All while saving the State money! #WeOwnIt #CaLeg #CaBudget”
  • Reply to Sample Tweet“@RendonAnthony @AsmPhilTing @alex_lee @JimPatterson559 @EGReyesCA @BuffyWicks @SenToniAtkins @NancySkinnerCA @SenAlexPadilla @CASenCaballero @SenRogerNiello”
  • Here is a graphic you can use in the tweet. 

2. Take one minute to sign this letter asking the State of California to invest in employee ownership:

  • It only takes a moment! It is most impactful for us to have organizations sign on, so please sign on behalf of your organization if you are able to.

Can you take one minute to sign this letter asking the State of California to invest in Employee Ownership?

Posted on

Can you take one minute to sign this letter asking the State of California to invest in employee ownership?

Please sign the letter by Thursday, March 30th!

Last year, Governor Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 1407, the California Employee Ownership Act, which creates the Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). The Hub is designed to establish the infrastructure necessary to increase employee ownership throughout California. We are asking the State of California to invest $5 million to fund the newly-created Hub.

Employee ownership is a well-proven strategy for business resilience, wealth-building and job quality for workers, and strong local economies. With a potential budget shortfall looming, there is no better time for California to invest in worker ownership to preserve small businesses, protect jobs, and save the State money.

Please take a moment by Thursday, March 30th to sign this letter asking the State of California to invest in worker ownership to the benefit of workers, small businesses, and local economies!