Co-ops and COVID-19: The Allium
As Jared Blustein noted, being structured as a worker-owned co-op, The Allium is somewhat positioned to perhaps better weather this challenging situation.
“We combined the brainpower of our worker collective and immediately pivoted to offering a takeout service and have begun running an internal delivery program as we refuse to support exploitative gig economy services,” said Jared. “We'd much rather pay ourselves to do work than support parasitic capitalist industries!”
The Allium’s shift in business has allowed them to significantly reduce labour costs. They are attempting to collectively utilize approximately eight hours of available labour per day, with many owners just working for free right now. As such, they have implemented a prioritized shift share to ensure that the most in need members have access to the most shifts.
They have also begun speaking with a great group of social entrepreneurs and are planning to start bottling and selling their vegan Caesar dressing. They are also looking at a few other offerings, which they expect to unfold this week. “Seems like we may be breaking even,” said Jared.
The Allium has also done the standard business requests for deferred/relaxed rent payments, “laid off” probationary owners upon their request, and have begun looking at securing loans from credit unions, federal relief loans, and family and friend support loans.
“I would be lying if I didn't say that this was extremely frightening,” said Jared. “We were poised to finally reap the fruits of our labour, having just won Avenue Best New Restaurant and Best Veg Restaurant, getting a solid social media following and enjoying consistently busier weeks - which has all come to a screeching halt. We are all working class folks who have put most of our resources into this. No bank backings, no financiers, no real safety net.”
“Ultimately - and I hope this is one of the biggest societal takeaways - this reality has truly exposed the fragility of our capitalist economy,” said Jared. “When we publicize losses and privatize gains, we create an economic structure that begins to crack with the slightest of pressures. When we subject the building blocks of life to a market economy, when we commodify our very survival, then social existence becomes threatened by individual pursuit of profit.
The Allium is a co-operatively owned, plant-based restaurant focusing on ethical, local, creative food and libations located in Calgary. Learn more at theallium.ca.
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