Akashian Cooperative Union

The Akashian Cooperative Union (Miranian: 明石協同組合合会 Akashi Kyōdō Kumiai Rengōkai; Gothic: 𐌰ᚴ𐌰𐍊𐌴 𐌰𐌻𐌰ᚴ𐌾𐍉 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍃𐍄𐍅𐌴 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌴𐌹 Akaśe Alakjō Waurstwē Gamainei), commonly known as the Kyōkuren (協組合) or Alwauga (𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌰𐌿𐌲𐌰), is Akashi's national cooperative federation. It is one of the largest federations in the Akashian economy and the central organisation of the powerful cooperative movement.

History

The Akashian Cooperative Union was founded in 1940, after the Akashian Civil War.

It experienced steady growth during the 1940s and 1970s, benefiting from Yurikarism's favour towards cooperatives, and came to dominate Akashi's small business sector.

The years of the "siege economy" marked a great leap for the cooperative sector, and gains continued in contemporary times, giving Akashi one of the largest cooperative sectors of the Common Sphere.

Organisation

It is a cooperative federation, of which every Akashian cooperative is a member. Several charity and non-governmental organisations have associate membership as well, due to their history of support for the cooperative movement and principles.

It has a decentralised and democratic structure, of which the highest level is the Executive Board, in turn overseen by the Supervisory Board.

The federation is organised both by area of operations and geographically by provinces and prefectures. Some of its largest members are agricultural cooperatives, housing cooperatives, and banking cooperatives.

It takes part in tripartite negotiations with the Sōhyō and government, but remains separate and maintains distance from the Keidanren. There is a history of bad blood between the two organisations, most recently magnified by the neoliberal conspiracy.

Politics

It has close ties with the National Cooperative Party, and has supported various localist and independent candidates in prefectural elections.