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Carole Baskin hosts a meeting of the UNSR's cooperative presidents at the Assembly of Workers
Both large and small cooperatives alike have gathered their (elected) presidents at the Assembly of Workers. Presidents such as NBC's president Élizabeth Martichoux (Icholasen's principal broadcasting agency), Jean Giroux, president of Susci, one of the big 5 supermarkets in Icholasen, and many more smaller ones.
The main theme of the summit was international trade, Baskin wants cooperatives to have more power in accepting investment from foreign companies or states. This bill would be the largest increase in the openness of the UNSR's economy since the revolution. It would permit investment, increased trade, and less regulation for cooperatives so long as they follow the rules about the limited wage difference ratio between employees of all levels, the power of employees to have plebiscites and elect their president, and the general principle of reducing CO2 and pollution of all kinds. Many in her own faction and the opposing faction disagree with her about this for various reasons. Let's take a look at the composition of the Assembly of Workers, the body which decides employment regulations among other things.
Around 286 AEN Assembly Members are die-hard Baskinites and will support her in whatever she does. However, around 151 are part of the more anarchist faction whose most extreme members want a return to a largely pre-industrial revolution society, with smaller factories, organic farming, and the return of green spaces. This second faction, headed by Misty Foxx (who in a surprise win became Majority Whip) will probably oppose an increase in trade with the rest of the world. They want carbon emissions lowered by any means necessary in order to prevent climate change, and of course more trade means more CO2.
However, Baskin has argued that there can be limits placed on some unnecessary trade so that it can be produced in the UNSR, while still increasing some services based trade. The UNSR is far from full employment, with a pre-revolution level of 16,8% - which, admittedly, was reducing under the reign of Whiteford. Baskin's plan, however, differs from that of Whiteford. Whiteford wanted to increase Icholasen's services industry, as the jobs lost to globalisation were not going to come back, she believed. This had some effect, but there was still an increase of productivity, without an increase in wages. Baskin wants more things to be built and made in Icholasen, rather than relying on imports.
This proposal has support among some TANKIES - the TANKIES are acutely aware of the effects of a European Union blockade on the UNSR, and are in agreement that more things need to be made on the island of Icholasen. This same thinking has triggered the use of public parks to grow vegetables and subsidies to encourage cooperatives' increased breeding of animals while Icholasen still has access to foreign grain. These animals will be able to be culled en masse and their meat frozen in the event of an EU blockade. In addition, the production of powdered eggs has been ramped up by the executive branch.
Stevie Nicks, speaking at the convention of cooperative presidents said the following;
'I am fully in favour of increasing production on the island of Icholasen - this will reduce Icholasen's CO2 emissions for transportation. It will also bring us closer to our goal of full employment, with people able to train to be able to have a practical benefit on their society. This is a great return to human society of old, collective ownership of basic and fundamental industries. It is also a welcome return to our world pre-globalisation, where most things that our people used were made right here on our island! What a concept. I know some in my faction will oppose this for not going far enough, but whilst there is still a large threat of invasion and suppression of our revolution, we must take all the wins we can.
With this win, we can continue to oppose the evil reforms planned by the TANKIES. Us in the AEN must stand together for that. As the 2021 Assembly of Nationalities election starts to heat up, this is what we must talk about. We must protect our civil liberties from the TANKIES, but also empower our cooperatives to ensure that our people are free at work too. I am so glad that the elected presidents of these cooperatives have come here today to share their ideas. I hope that we can re-orientate our economy to focus on people's health and the reduction of pollution, the reduction of unemployment to ensure everyone has a job that they can be proud of, and the democratisation of work.'
Cécile Laucre, Speaker of the Assembly of Nationalities agreed with the legislation in principal, but had serious concerns
Speaking at a press conference about Eastern Haane, Cécile was asked about this new bill.
'I think that the UNSR does need to increase its economic self dependence, and I like all TANKIES are in favour of cooperative ownership of most industries. However, nationalised industries are also owned in the common good, too. It's a trust. I'm glad to see we both have the priority of reducing unemployment, the state was always able to do that but Whiteford chose not to. She sold Icholasen down the river through globalism. Now, at least, the state is doing something to resolve this problem.
There are some ways in which this bill goes against communism, however. I don't think trading with capitalist corporations even if the workers consent is true communism. However, that was in their faction's manifesto and they won in that branch of government. I am glad that in the upper house we have a more orthodox approach.
I have spoken with Korojaunu Sanders about creating new mines/drills and opening old ones in order to increase Icholasen's already strong energy independence. We have natural gas, coal, and crude oil which means that our energy sector can continue to be independent. Me and Baskin have, however, agreed to start funding electric cars, seeing as our oil reserves are out in the open ocean and thus vulnerable.'
A reporter asks; 'Ms. Laucre, do you not think that we should be moving away from hydrocarbons and pollutants to prevent climate change?'
'I think that Nicoleizians and the UNSR is not to blame for most of climate change, I do believe in it, but we have been forced to use these sources of energy for the foreseeable future due to the danger of a blockade on us. I will be speaking with Baskin about the investment into existing and new renewable energy, like wind farms, but these will have to be on land due to the imperialist forces in rightful Nicoleizian waters.'
The vote in the Assembly of Workers was called that day, and after Misty Foxx's endorsement it was clear it would pass. The bill which gives more freedoms to cooperatives to trade with corporations and other states (provided they have the approval of the workers) means that the UNSR will be a much more open country to the world. Baskin hopes that she can rekindle the economic relationship that was forged with Inquista under Craticus, though that is increasingly unlikely under the Bishopric of Mikaela Kligenberg. Other economic partners that could be forged may come forward, but a potential Nicoleizian manufacturing boom is technically feasible. It is just up to nations and workers to negotiate on the price for the labour and goods. Will working as a collective and spending less on the bloated salaries of managers increase profit margins for foreign companies, or will the increased labour rights make it a nightmare?
YES
NO
AEN
399
38
TANKIES
94
301
Totals
493
339
The vote went as follows, with the AEN staying more unified than that TANKIES. Many TANKIES supported this bill just for the fact that it could help the UNSR's economic system survive. Many are much less concerned about strict adherence to theory at this very moment, since the UNSR is in a perilous position.