Commentary by Anthony Esposito, ACCORD Associate and Executive Officer of the Union Cooperative Society

Anthony Esposito is a cooperative and community development specialist. He is the Executive Officer of Union Cooperative Society (UCS). Former ALP Senator George Georges formed the UCS 37 years ago.

The UCS has played an important role in the labour party and trade union history of Queensland. From an organisation initially involved in running a consumer grocery and petrol cooperative it developed a credit union, supports worker’s clubs, and holds a stock of properties in the inner Brisbane suburb of Paddington for social housing and investment. The UCS has grown into a cooperative financial organisation and is currently re-evaluating its future direction – both to consolidate its financial position and to become more involved in community economic development.

"We are one of the few coops that have retained our deposit and loans powers so we’re looking at community banking options," Anthony said.

The UCS has good relations with the Maleny Credit Union and ANA/Foresters Friendly Society and is looking to develop a unique partnership drawing on the traditions of the cooperative and labour movements, the friendly society movement and the ‘new wave’ cooperative movement of Maleny.

Anthony stresses the importance of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in the development of cooperatives. CDFIs are a network of locally controlled financial institutions focussed on community economic and cooperative development. "The UCS aims to stimulate new thinking in both cooperatives and unions by building a model of community economic development on cooperative principles," he says. Anthony hopes this will bring a new generation into the cooperative movement.

In terms of strategic directions, Anthony says CDFI’s are a vital component of cooperative development but not the only one. "There is a role for government to create a supportive legislative and economic framework. Similarly, large corporations need to fulfil their corporate social responsibility by investing in communities through community-controlled financial institutions. Ultimately, successful coops are those that are owned and controlled by the community themselves," says Anthony.

To succeed, cooperatives need, in addition to all the relevant occupational and managerial skills, cooperative skills including knowledge of cooperative principles and application, and the ability to work cooperatively, think cooperatively and act cooperatively.

Anthony describes coops as a set of values that can apply to a range of different settings rather than a limited form of organisation. "Coops need to get back to core values and become reformist, creative and dynamic as opposed to defenders of conservative positions," he says. "It’s about being relevant – addressing an issue, problem or need and asking how do we solve it? And what are our values for dealing with it?"

Anthony’s advocacy for rebuilding the social economy stems from first-hand experience as a practitioner, and from his collaborative activities with others, such as the Community Cooperative Council (CCC) of which he is Secretary. The Council is an independent association for members and supporters of the SE Queensland region’s community-based cooperatives. Its advocacy, education and legislative activities have included lobbying for legislative changes to remove the restrictive barriers to formation of cooperatives and pushing for cooperative education to be included in school curricula and tertiary studies. The CCC is working towards the establishment of a Cooperative Development Agency (CDA).

"To rebuild the social economy there needs to be a restoration of the values and principles that underpin the original meanings of Commonwealth; a restoration of mutuality as a viable and valid organising principle for delivering a whole range of goods and services, whether through public, private or community sectors; and a political discourse and educational process that would sustain that and grow a new generation who understood cooperatives," says Anthony.