Published in the Weekly January 9, 2022
From the Board of Directors
Our Woodsworth community being like any other community means we don’t always live harmoniously. Conflicts between members can be very difficult for the affected parties, but they can also impact our staff and the Board which must try to find resolutions. To illustrate the toll of such conflicts, at her exit interview, one of our recent managers named the stress from such member conflicts as one of the main reasons she left the job.
Conflict Resolution
During the exit interview, this ex-manager also suggested that the lack of conflict resolution skills in the Co-op revealed the need for more education, as well as training for dealing with grievances.
The Board agreed, and we had hoped to arrange professional training for new members of the Reconciliation Committee. Unfortunately, not enough people ran for committee positions at election time, and now we have to consider other options for moving forward. We ask a favour; if members have any suggestions, please forward them to us at board@woodsworthcoop.ca or if you don’t use a computer, drop off your note in the Board mailbox located in the second floor lobby.
At the very least, we are planning to hold a co-op-wide workshop, conducted by a mediator, in the near future. Look for details to be announced soon.
Co-operative communication
In the meantime, we ask members and long-term guests to try to live cooperatively. Woodsworth is a diverse community, all of us unique, so we ask for tolerance towards our differences as well. We can all agree that everyone should feel safe, after all.
Ultimately, the Co-op always encourages members to try to resolve conflicts themselves and to do this, respectful communication is key. But please be aware that leaving anonymous notes at people’s doors is not cooperative, and could in fact be construed as harassment in some circumstances.
A reminder that problematic behaviors, such as abusive language, harassment, and/or threats of violence are prohibited in our bylaws, and if extreme enough, could potentially lead to eviction. We don’t want to sound heavy handed, but unfortunately some of these behaviors do occur, and the Board is obligated to take action.
Human Rights
Another factor in all this is our duty to abide by the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Code applies to the Co-op as a whole, including the Board, management, contractors, all committees and individual members as well. It is illegal to discriminate against or harass others on prohibited grounds: race, colour, ancestry, creed (religion), place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity), sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, disability and receipt of public assistance.
Unfortunately, not only has Woodsworth had human rights claims brought against it in the past, it currently has three cases in process at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. As we’ve stated elsewhere, the Board and staff have worked with our insurance lawyer and the co-op’s lawyer to address these, which takes up time, resources and co-op money.
The Board will therefore investigate complaints that come to its attention in order to protect potential victims, and also to protect the Co-op from further litigation. The procedure for dealing with human rights complaints is laid out in our Human Rights Bylaw, found on the co-op website and also in the green bylaw binder in the Photocopy Room.
Rules
Sometimes member conflicts are about rules, or more specifically, about not following the rules. Though some of the time, people are unclear about what these are. Please check out the Rules Bylaw. The newly published A-Z Handbook for Woodsworth Members is also a good resource.
One thing to keep in mind about co-op rules: they are not policed. Staff manage the Co-op, and the Board governs it, but no one polices it. In a way, it’s an honour system. When we agree to live here, we agree to conduct ourselves cooperatively, and to abide by our bylaws and policies.
Of course, the rules apply to everyone equally, and if they are flouted or broken please let management or the Board know. If there is a complaint against staff, please only contact the Board. And if there is a complaint against a board member, please know that the director is required to declare a conflict of interest while the complaint is addressed.
Conclusion
This article isn’t a very nice way to start the new year and we apologize for that. Most Woodsworth members do in fact live harmoniously, and our community is wonderful in most ways. But conflict is one of the most inevitable things in life, especially during a stressful pandemic. We are trying to resolve these problems in a manner that is fair, transparent and effective. And we ask members involved in conflicts to do their part and please treat fellow members with respect.