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Karma Co-op Complaints Policy

The Chronicle’s Role

Feb. 19, 2005

Any consideration of the role of The Chronicle in a Karma Complaints Policy should start with the newsletter’ editorial policy, which was revised and approved by the board of directors in May 2000.

Members, including board members, who have complaints or concerns about the logistics of running the store, the government or administrative process of the co-op, or policies or regulations made by the board should be able to approach The Chronicle if they want to. The Chronicle is responsible for contacting the board, the general manager, or any other member of the co-op whom the editor considers would be the appropriate person to respond to the complaint or concern. The Chronicle also has an obligation and responsibility to decide whether the membership should be informed of the issue being raised, along the lines outlined below.

A. Letters to the Editor.

1. If the editor gets a letter that criticizes a particular person (by position or by name) on the staff, the author will be told to forward it to the general manager and to the board. We shall not publish anything of this sort. The same policy applies to a letter about a particular person on the board or about the general manager.
2. A letter with a general complaint about “the staff” will first be shown to the General Manager. After a discussion with the General Manager, the editor will decide whether or not to print a version of the letter and inform the general manager of his or her decision.  If there is a decision to print the letter, the board or general manager will be invited to write a reply in the same issue.
3. If the letter concerns complaints or concerns about the logistics of running the store, the government or administrative process of the co-op, or policies or regulations made by the board or by the general manager, the editor will show the letter to the board (or to someone designated by the board for this purpose). After a discussion with the board or its representative, the editor will decide whether or not to print a version of the letter, inform the board or representative of the decision, and invite the board to write a response in the same issue.

B. Articles.
If The Chronicle decides that an article should be written about an issue raised by a member’s complaint or concern, it is the editor’s responsibility to ensure that the article contains responses to those complaints or concerns by the appropriate person(s).

C. Other Procedures
In cases A (1) and (2) and B (above), the editor will send any letters or articles he or she considers to be sensitive to the whole Chronicle committee for opinion and advice.