Publisher and Contributor: John McNamara
The publisher of The Workers’ Paradise is John McNamara. John has worked for Union Cab of Madison Co-operative (a worker’s co-operative) since 1988. During that time, he served on the board of directors for eight years, held the title of president for four years, vice-president for one year and still holds the title of “Co-operative Parliamentarian”. John has also served the Strategic Planning Committee since its inception in 2002.
Prior to Union Cab, John was a steward and president of the now defunct Memorial Union Labor Organization. At the time, MULO was one the only two student labor union in the country–the other being the Teaching Assistants Association (also in Madison). John received a BA in English Literature and History from the UW Madison in 1988. He earned a Masters of Management: Co-operatives and Credit Unions from St. Mary’s University (Halifax) in 2010.
John was a founding member of the US Federation of Worker Co-operatives (individual member) and joined the board of directors of the USFWC in 2006. He is currently serving the Federation in his final year of eligibility as chairperson. John also serves on the Advisory Board for the Worker Ownership Fund, the board of Northcountry Co-operative Development Fund, and the board of Governors of the Democracy at Work Network.
In is spare time, John assists with a research on co-operatives for St. Mary’s, writes this blog, writes another blog about co-operation, Breathing Lessons and shares a wonderful life with his wife, Becky and step-daughter Florence. Currently, John is working on a book, based on blog entries, regarding the role of the Co-operative Identity and worker co-operatives. As might be noticed, John is a fan of the em-dash.
John is available for consulting and will be working with the Peer Technical Assistance Network. As part of this effort, John has formed a consulting service for existing co-ops as Co-operative Solutions.
Contributor: Bernard Marszalek
Recently releisured from Inkworks Press in Berkeley, Bernard has been involved with cooperative utopianism since his collaboration with teh J.S. Jordan Memorial Print Shop in Chicago in 1968 (the printers for yippees, Living Theater and assorted disreputable types. He currently is associated with JASEcon.org a small group of agitators in the SF Bay Area and he volunteers with NOBWAC (No Boss!) and CH Kerr Co. in Chicago.
Contributor: Fred Schepartz
Fred is a 20+ year veteran of the Union Cab of Madison Cooperative. In addition to driving, Fred also publishes Mobius Magazine (a literary review publishing for over 20 years) and writes fiction. His most recent published work is Vampire Cabbie available from Literary Road. Fred appears in the special features to Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story.
