Sacramento Co-op Owners for Democracy & Human Rights

Members have filed a grievance with the Co-op Board about unfair campaign rules and practices.  Contact the Board and urge them to follow the recommendations in the grievance.
In June, two Co-op Members filed a law suit asking the court to order the Co-op Board to follow its Bylaws and put the qualified Human Rights and Restore Co-op Democracy initiatives on the ballot.  The judge did not agree to an expedited hearing date, which could have put the initiatives on the 2011 ballot.  Although the Members have dismissed their lawsuit because of the hearing delay, they recognize that future legal action may still be required to ensure that the Co-op Board follow its Bylaws.

See In the News for the latest published articles about the democracy and human rights efforts at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op.

Have a comment, question or want more information?  Email us at humanrightsareacoopvalue@gmail.com

Co-op Board Posts Fraudulent Ballot Argument

After refusing to allow Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op Members to vote on either the Human Rights or Restore Co-op Democracy initiatives, the Co-op Board apparently wanted to make sure the human rights issue would never come up again.  So it put a proposed Bylaws amendment on the upcoming ballot to prohibit consideration of any possible future product boycotts or even labeling of products related to human rights or other concerns.

Apparently increasingly fearful that Members might think for themselves, the Board has now put a blatantly false ballot argument on the Co-op website.  Labeled as an argument “against” their Bylaws amendment, it is clearly intended to support that amendment, not oppose it.  Click here to read the argument with a point-by-point analysis. Continue reading →

Co-op Democracy on YouTube!   With local lyricists and the help of political satirist Dave Lippman, the campaign for democracy and human rights at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op has made it on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBKNoifsufI= Check out it out and pass it on.

Two members are now running for the Co-op Board on a Member-Voices-make-Better-Choices Co-op board campaign – to learn more, visit their website:  www.CoopMembersMatter.org.   This campaign is separate and apart from the ongoing effort to get the Human Rights and Restore Co-op Democracy initiatives on the upcoming ballot.

Protecting Members’ Right to put Initiatives on the ballot

The sponsors of the Human Rights and Restore Co-op Democracy initiatives have been thwarted by the Board in their attempts to follow the Co-op’s Bylaws.  The Bylaws have two requirements to put member initiatives on the ballot: signatures and proposing the action at a Board or Membership meeting.  Although both initiatives have met these requirements, the Board has refused to put either on the ballot.  (See Co-op Digest for more information.) Continue reading →