|
Two articles on Alternative Bookshop fiascoAnonyme, Samedi, Janvier 24, 2004 - 15:49
mic
What's going on with the Non-profit Organization that manages the Alternative Book shop building ? These texts were first published in the spring and fall 2003 issues of Mauvaise Herbe, a Montreal eco-anarchist zine. These translations were republished in the latest issue of Anarchy magazine. The Alternative Book shop -- Montreal's anarchist info-shop -- is located in a building that isn't supposed to be (private) property. What's going on with the Non-profit Organization These texts were first published in the spring and fall 2003 in French in Mauvaise Herbe, a Montreal eco-anarchist zine. This translation was republished in Anarchy magazine, winter 2004 issue. The Alternative Book shop -- Montreal's anarchist info-shop -- is located in a building that isn't supposed to be (private) property. The building belongs to a non-profit organization ("OSBL" in French). The OSBL's membership is made up of several persons who aren't all that well known in the anarchist milieu, and who were more involved 10 to 15 years ago: Some don't even consider themselves anarchists anymore. The bulk of them aren't involved in the building's management. In fact, the OSBL's last general assembly was in the summer of 1998, nearly 5 years ago. The dirty job of landlording The OSBL was formed in 1982, and the building purchased in 1983. The goal was to provide a rent-free space for the book shop. To do this, the OSBL had to be a landlord towards other tenants in the building: Recently, it was Stella, the sex workers association, that by their rent paid the mortgage, the taxes, the insurance and the maintenance expenses of the building. Among the problems, there are those linked to the lack of money: a severe lack of major repairs and upkeep. In the milieu, we're familiar with the variable condition of the book shop: few books, even fewer in French, lack of knowledge and follow-up, and nearly no effort to promote the book shop. The past efforts of several book shop persons are commendable, sincere, even heroic at times. But altogether their actions are limited and in the end they aren't able to pinpoint and solve the problems and so they become discouraged by things not moving. A collective asset... managed by a clique! The OSBL and the book shop are closely linked and their fortunes are shared; in spit of this, few people in the book shop collective wish to or can get involved in the management of the OSBL. The rotation of tasks - an anarchist principle - is virtually nonexistent. According to the OSBL's statutes, anarchist activists from other groups can't get involved in the OSBL's management. Management is done by a few long-time members, secretively. They conjure up as reasons their "legal liability" and that there are "enemies". This is why so few anarchists know what's going on. The project's history is riddled with conflicts, and when the remains of old factions find themselves demoralized, alienated and or excluded, certain members become encrusted, if this can't be qualified as an appropriation of this collective asset. The last general assembly (in 1998) elected a "board of directors" composed of five persons (Mike, "president"; Dale, secretary; Moishe, treasurer; Aidan, maintenance; Kristi, external relations). Since then, three members resigned: the president, the secretary and the external relations person. Which means that in effect, two members control the board* and the OSBL. Boycotts, scheming In the last year, the board tried several times to convene a general assembly; that's to say with enough attendance to have quorum, discuss and decide. What remains of the old membership didn't respond to the call. Several members consider that the treasurer (and president / secretary...), Moishe, didn't make an effort to check in advance that members were able to attend before sending the mail-out. Additionally, the notices of the meeting were received at the last minute by some, making it impossible that they arrange their affairs to be in Montreal. A board of directors-in-perpetuity... Last month (April 2003) several members outside of the board took the initiative of calling an assembly. This undermined the authoritarianism of the board and Moishe declared that real assemblies are those called by the board! These two members (the board) didn't come to the meeting. In so doing, they deprived the others of all information on the finances, the condition of the building, the departure of the sole tenant (Stella) and the necessity of finding another tenant (at the moment of writing these words, the OSBL has no revenues). The building's and the book shop's welfare wasn't advanced. All members have a right to see the OSBL's minutes and financial reports, despite the fact that the treasurer, Moishe, has refused such a request with the excuse that OSBL documents can only be consulted in the presence of a board member. Lets face it; even in the anarchist milieu a minority can act, block and dictate without being accountable to anybody. Involvement rather than bureaucratic paralysis Montreal's anarchist milieu is on the way to losing a potential collective resource valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. There may still be time to save this anarchist centre, but we have many questions to ask those in charge. It would be a good thing if members of different anarchist groups be present as observers and maybe even participants at the next assembly. And if the comrades at the book shop find that their two "representatives" in the OSBL are enough, and that across the hackneyed, bureaucratic talk they can't see the crisis, they maybe haven't yet asked them embarrassing questions, and they haven't heard the opinions of the dissidents and those excluded. To be continued! *These directors are also supported by an important creditor who is a member of the OSBL, Karl, as well as his "anonymous associate" better known to some as "Mr. Big". Lets collectivize the building that houses the Alternative Book shop! OSBL* = Organization Without Libertarian Goals ?!! (Organisme Sans But Libertaire) *Non Profit Organization PART 2 OF THE ARTICLE "qui gère l'osbl?" that appeared in Mauvaise Herbe Vol. 2 no. 3 What's happening in the saga of the building that's supposed to be held by anarchists, and which houses the Alternative Bookshop? After boycotting assemblies called by the majority in the OSBL, -- the majority is made up of the founders of the OSBL who are demanding, in concert with an anarchist distributors' coalition, an opening up to the anarchist milieu -- the board (the borg!) realized that the grumbling was getting louder and organized and risked turning into a generalized revolt. Apprehended insurrection That August 5th will remain notorious for a long time: It was a complete blockage, "proceduritis" to puke over; a grossly authoritarian display by the minority! What we wanted Washing our dirty laundry in public? Rally to the endangered bosses! Giving power to those who refuse it Defending the minority's privileges? In the interests of the bookshop, join the dissidence -Rongeur radical (Radical rodent) translation: Bernard Cooper info/ comments to: mauv...@altern.org
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ceci est un média alternatif de publication ouverte. Le collectif CMAQ, qui gère la validation des contributions sur le Indymedia-Québec, n'endosse aucunement les propos et ne juge pas de la véracité des informations. Ce sont les commentaires des Internautes, comme vous, qui servent à évaluer la qualité de l'information. Nous avons néanmoins une
Politique éditoriale
, qui essentiellement demande que les contributions portent sur une question d'émancipation et ne proviennent pas de médias commerciaux.
|