The case of the Work Cooperative of the Seamstresses Together We’ll Win

reports of a solidarity economy experience

Abstract

This article presents reports of an experience of Solidarity Economy, the case of the Work Cooperative of the Seamstress Together We’ll - Univens. With the rise of neoliberalism and the rise in unemployment, in 1996, a group of unemployed women from a community in the city of Porto Alegre/RS, saw in the formation of the cooperative an opportunity for work, income generation and social inclusion. It is common in studies of collectivist enterprises, such as the case of Univens, specifically linked to the Solidarity Economy, a confrontation between the desired organizational model carved in an idealistic perspective and the reality lived in these enterprises. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the main adherences and distances of Univens experience in relation to the principles that underlie the Solidarity Economy. Using qualitative methodological procedures, we seek to understand the process of organization and development of the cooperative in an adverse socioeconomic context. For data collection, three instruments were used: documentary research, semi-structured interview and direct observation. The analyzes were performed from the triangulation of the data collection instruments and the data sorted into three categories: historical development, management processes, challenges and problems. As a result, we found that Univens uses principles of the self-management model; that the production process is divided into three stages (cutting, sewing and screen printing), demonstrating a clear division of labor; and that the weaknesses of the cooperative are due to the seasonality of requests and the lack of training of members and potential members. It is concluded that although Univens has not surpassed the capitalist logic, it is necessary to consider the transformative potential of its practices as a form of resistance to capitalist organizations.

Keywords: Solidarity economy. Cooperativism. Solidarity enterprises. Univens.