Dear Editors,
Having just attended the September GM, I’m impressed with the collected wisdom of our membership in the discussion about the suspension of General Manager and Treasurer Joe Holtz. There was also a deep feeling we have something of a crisis in dealing with conflict at the Coop. I want to call up a detail from a previous report on our governance:
“The Coop culture is shifted towards participation, and openness about controversies,” says General Coordinator Ann Herpel. “Decisions are not made behind closed doors in private meetings.”
We need to respect that core value of our governance.
Regarding the reinstatement of Joe Holtz’s salary, I support it based on Linewaiters’ Gazette reporting and the presentation at the GM. I support policy transparency and fairness toward all Coop employees. Locking out an employee and docking a full month of pay is obviously extreme, and outside the guidelines for repercussions detailed in the Coop’s COVID policy at the time of the offense. If there is more to it than this, someone better clarify it for the rest of us, and trust in our process.
In cooperation,
Lisa Guido