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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 1. 28th February 1973
Fight Capital With Co-ops
Fight Capital With Co-ops
A food co-operative is an institution that attempts to provide for its members produce at cheaper rates than are possible through normal commercial channels.
One has functioned in this University for the last two years. It has functioned with varying degrees of effectiveness, vaguely proportional to the efforts put in by the participants. The major difficulty involved in running a Co-op is getting the people to co-operate. In the past the organisation has functioned through the untiring efforts of a few. Overcoming this problem is difficult while people regard the Coop as just a cheap place to shop. For the Co-operative to function the most effectively all must play their part and not have to be hounded, threatened or cajoled into doing things.
The Problem of Size
Part of the problem with the University Co-op could be its size—about 210 member flats—which makes the handling of produce a major task. This is balanced by the fact that such a size gives a much greater buying power, and enables a greater range of products to be stocked. To overcome this problem I would suggest that people, instead of joining the University Co-op, form their own neighbourhood co-operative with 5 to 10 flats or houses in it, and then come together in a larger organisation which could do the purchasing and distribution of bulk lots. This system would entail the employment of one or two people, but would be much more efficient than the present system.
The neighbourhood co-operative is desirable from another point of view, in that it will bring into its scope not only student's who are part of a privileged class anyway, but also families, pensioners and the more needy members of our community. The University Co-op will function again this year, but I don't envisage it as being as large as last year, as hopefully students will provide the nuclei about which neighbourhood Co-ops will form.
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Photo by Hilary Watson
Previously co-ops have been concerned with foodstuffs that can be purchased from the produce markets, which has been caused mainly by the fact that we have not had suitable premises that are up to Health Department standards. If we had suitable premises we could sell other forms of food and household goods. If anyone knows of anywhere suitable, please get in contact with Food Co-op through Salient or Stud-Ass Office.
Other Projects
A co-operative project that could be worth investigating is the establishment of a laundry. It would not have to be very complex, a second hand washing machine and drier, with an iron and ironing table. The cost of running such a service need not be expensive. It is an attack on the present wasteful nature of our society, which demands that each family or flat group consume a washing machine and an iron at least and normally a drier as well, each of which is used for only a small part of each week.
The co-operative mode of living is a people thing, but for it to work to the best advantage all participants must contribute something, time or effort, because if they don't they tend to exploit the few who do work. Hopefully a smaller Co-op will be more personal, and people will enter into the spirit of it and not exploit and rip off their fellow men. Talking of rip offs, the University Co-op lost about $250 last year, and it wasn't all bad management.
By Peter Rendall (pictured)