Our final session of the current season is our Members’ evening when regular attendees of our Café are invited to give short talks. There are two as follows:

1. ‘ Democracy at work and in the economy’. A talk by Cristiana Mirosanu
We are being told we live in a democratic society, yet for the vast majority of those who work they find themselves spending most of their day in environments where they have no power to change decisions or who their bosses are. I will make the case for workplace democracy by drawing on research showing that worker cooperatives are more resilient, including in the face of economic downturn. Expanding on this, what could a truly democratic economy look like and what steps can we take now to implement this vision?

About Cristiana
I am a newly elected Green Party councillor for the Chapel Allerton ward. Before this I spent about 3 years as a local campaigner and activist in Leeds. I am part of a national working group within the Green Party which aims to push for democratising workplaces and the economy. I currently split my time between the councillor role and working at a building society. I am also a trade union rep, part of Aegis the Union.

2. “For Radically Reimagined Social Care, Support and Independent Living – NOW!” A talk by Gilda Peterson

She will provide:
• a brief run down on the dire state of Social Care but a focus on a vision of what Care, Support and Independent Living could look like
• some thoughts about what are the barriers to change and how we can shift them ( eg a ‘them not us’ narrative, too big to budge, neo-liberalism etc.)
• some ideas re how to shift the impasse from small bold steps in the right direction that LAs can start taking now to building a mighty national roar for Bevan style change!

About Gilda
I have worked as a social worker, team manager and reviewing officer in Social Services in London and Leeds, mostly with children and families but also in a homeless families unit and adult care. I am a long-standing activist with Keep Our NHS Public, being Secretary of Leeds KONP and Yorkshire Health Campaigns Together network. Eight or nine years I got together with a few, fellow health campaigners to set up a national organisation initially known as Reclaim Social Care, now known as the End Social Care Disgrace Campaign. www.endsocialcaredisgrace.org