Though worker co-ops in the US date back 150 years, the model of worker-owned and democratically controlled businesses remains largely unfamiliar among anti-capitalist movements. Worker co-ops are currently gaining momentum in the US – especially among immigrants and in communities of color – as tools that anchor community wealth, stabilize local economies, and shift the relations of capital production. Around the world, an international groundswell of worker co-op solidarity is changing the way movements envision economic justice and grassroots control of our economy.
This session introduces the worker co-op model to folks who are curious but not really familiar with it yet. It shares local and international examples of how worker cooperatives transform local economies. Our conversation will demystify how workplace democracy fosters strong, values-based businesses that center the needs of people and communities. Join us as we explore the radical possibilities that worker co-ops bring to our visions of the future!
