Rules for solidarity: An experience of collective construction of rules at an informal Solidarity Economy cooperative

Abstract

This article intends to present and discuss one of the experiences of the Incubator of Popular and Solidarity Economy Initiatives (Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, State of Bahia, Brazil), in the process of incubation of an informal group that owns, since March 2013, one of the canteens of the University. In the reported experience, the group is advised during the preparation of the rules for governing its operation, concerning the principles of self-management, cooperation, solidarity, democracy and valuation of human work. The methodology used included individual interviews with members of the initiative, observing aspects of their personal experiences, expectations on cooperative work, its advantages and diffi culties. Later, the group discussed rules concerning the division of labor and its results, rights and obligations of the group members, procedure for decision-making, sanctions, conflicts mediation and organization of activities. Even though one of the aims of the project is the future development of a traditional statute for the legal formalization of the group, it has been elected as a priority the creation of rules that, by using informal language and refl ecting the coexistence of experiences, power relations and senses of morality and justice concretely experienced - even outside the state law - are able to constructively discipline the coexistence between the group members, especially strengthening the ideal of solidarity that guides the Solidarity Economy.

Keywords: Solidarity Economy, rules devising, incubation, cooperative.