Summary

Based on the reading notes from Michel Bauwens:

Introduction

SMart, the 'mutual society for artists', was created in 1998, as a nonprofit for artistic workers, in order to lighten their administrative burden, and give them access to welfare services. In 2014, it experienced a growth spurt, when it counted up to 160 staff members, 18,000 users, and 75,000 members. A new administration was elected, which wished for a much more active social role, and it launched a participatory and strategic process to enlist the support of the membership in this transformative project, which culminated in the creation of a cooperative structure that could also serve in other European countries.

This booklet has five chapters, respectively treating the following topics:

- contemporary questions related to employment and work

- social protections

- the role of the entreprise model

- what kind of social contract is needed

- the cooperative and mutualist solutions and their models

The sixth chapter looks to the future in a European context.

Chapter 1: Un monde de travail en mutation

Sandrino came to age in the formative time of 1968, which wanted liberation 'from' work, in the context of a growing desindustrialization which was believed to ideally leave the Western world with more 'noble' tasks. However, this promise was only realized to a very limited degree, as larger part of the populations indeed moved to more cognitive or service oriented tasks, but also became associated with structural forms of unemployment. Work came to be seen even more than before as a condition for self-realization.

It also became more customary to attach 'rights to these expanded vision of work.

Sandrino writes:

- “Il faut aller plus loin dans la reconnaissance du travail dans sa globalité." (p. 16)

Sandrino proposes to combine this vision of rights and recognition to a conditional 'universal income', which would be linked to some kind of social contribution. This could also be applied to the social role played by artists.

Concerning the generalization of part-time work, Sandrino stresses the difference between choice and imposition. The latter model is often chosen by companies who want to stimulate a turnover of personnel, as this weakens their capacity to bargain collectively.

One of the recurring characteristics of the new work conditions is its 'dis-continuity', which can again be both a choice or a imposition. We have to recognize it can be a positive choice. On a global scale, 'normal' salaried jobs are only 22.5% of the total (2015):

- “L’emploi permanent en CDI n’est plus la forme prédominante de l’emploi.” (p. 23)

However, it is equally illusory to expect the end of the salariat and the end of subordinate work; rather, our task is to accompany its mutations. One of the challenges is the cognitive economy and the dematerialized infrastructures which carry a risk of a atomized workforce (each in their micro-entreprises). Combining this new autonomy with new forms of solidarity and protection will be vital.

Regarding income from 'intellectual property', Sandrino does not believe it is enforceable and therefore, one must look for new revenue streams. Interesting for artists is also the possibility for shorter circuits ('circuit court'), between producers and consumers.

Chapter 2 - Refonder la protection sociale

Traditional social security has three pillars (and in some countries, 4): i.e. health, unemployment, and pensions (+ family allowances, in some places). Countries with strong social protection have weathered the economic storms much better. Still, they are everywhere under attack. Nevertheless, the old system is not adapted to the precarious and non-linear work that is becoming the norm.

The average worker has three times more employer in a lifetime, compared to the 1960s. Discontinuous careers should now be considered the norm. We must guarantee a continuity of portable rights. The two dangers here are rigidity in order to protect past rules that no longer apply to the majority of current workers; and on the other hand, a wholesale marketization of protection. Our own point of view is to protect the common core, but to make it adaptable to new workers. There is also the problem of automation and a real cultural revolution amongst young workers, who are now seeking meaningful engagements. Our solution to all this, are to generalize salaries, but without subordination.

Chapter 3: De la defense des acquis a l'innovation sociale (p. 43)

Sandrino counterposes a third way between these polarities:

1. Each worker is an individual enterprise, managing risks on his/her own

2. Only fixed salaried workers receive lifelong protections

3. The third way is to accept the flexibilization of the economy and the desire for autonomy, but to embed it in collective enterprise.

We have to organize flexible work as a reality and represent the interests of these un-represented workers. The problem with unions is that they defend 'jobs', but not 'workers'.

SG foresees other forces taking over the defense of precarious workers, such as the 'intermittent coordination' in France, if the unions fail to take up these struggles.

It is vital to become political, as this issue is beyond jobs, but involves reforms in pensions and many other areas.

SG stresses there must be room for social innovations, especially around work and enterpreneurship, which is by its nature transgressive, but should be allowed through regulatory frameworks, that allow for experimentation. Sandrino cites the experiments of Elisabeth Bost in 1993, which led to the generalization of labour mutuals.

Chapter 4: Creer de l'emploi, son emploi (p. 51)

Re-Inventing Work Through Collective Enterprises for Autonomous Workers

Contents