OUGD505 Footprint Workers Co-op Talk

Footprint Workers Co-op Talk:
Today James and Claire from Footprint came to give us a talk about what they do. Footprint is part of a workers co-op, which means that it is owned and managed by the workers. Workers co-ops came out of the industrial revolution to tackle workers conditions. 
In 1844 The Rochdale Pioneers came up with principles which are the ideals of early working co-ops. 

1.That capital should be of their own providing and bear a fixed rate of interest.

2. That only the purest provisions procurable should be supplied to members.

3. That full weight and measure should be given.

4. That market prices should be charged and no credit given nor asked.

5. That profits should be divided pro rata upon the amount of purchases made by each member.

6. That the principle of ‘one member one vote’ should obtain in government and the 
equality of the sexes in membership.

7. That the management should be in the hands of officers and committee elected periodically.

8. That a definite percentage of profits should be allotted to education.

9. That frequent statements and balance sheets should be presented to members.

They mainly use risoprinting:
- 100% recycled paper
- Using less energy
- Avoid big 6 (energy companies)
- Only ship in UK
- Recycle everything they can
- 1% of profits goes to Treesponsibility 

Altogether there are 5 members:
- All directors
- Democratic - negotiations 
- Decide what to do with profit
- Equal pay - just above minimum wage
- Every hour worked 50p goes into a donation
If they don't agree with something they won't print, even if that is just one person.

Good stuff:
- Very cheap and free printing (anti-raids cards)
- Cash donations/sponsorship (Worker co-op archive, Fix-IT, Housmans, Co-op camp)
- Treesponsibility
- Chapeltown arts fest
- International women's day
- Leeds queer film fest
- Leeds queer fest
- Deliveroo strike fund

Other co-ops get 10% discount as well as trying to offer support and advice.

Doing lot's of work for small artists - they are flexible and easy to work with.

They try and make printing as affordable as possible. Laser and full colour can be expensive, but their riso is below average for cost.

They can also fold, staple or spiral bind, as well as getting properly bound books done by partner companies.

Papers:
- Standard paper stocks are 85-100% post consumer waste recycled paper.
- Wide range of colours in recycled paper and card and recycled gummed paper.
- Haven't been able to source recycled sticker paper.
- They don't print on glossy paper as they are under the impression that either china clay will be used in its production, or it will be plastic-coated.
- Supply small quantities of our standard recycled papers at cost price.

Printing Processes:
- Majority on Rispgraph machines, they require none of the nasty chemicals associated with lithographic printing and don't require heat or cooling. There are no solvents or alcohol and they use soya inks rather than petrochemical derived ones.

- Laser printer is not in fact a laser printer but an LED printer. This is used for short run colour jobs and uses less power than a laser printer and produces a far superior print.


- Electricity from Good Energy, a genuinely 100% renewable electricity supplier.

All of this information is really good to know that I can use a sustainable printers in Leeds. It is also beneficial to understand what working co-ops are and what they do.