What is a Worker Co-op?
A Worker Cooperative, or Worker Co-op, is an idea that is far from being something new. They have been around for a very long time. So long, in fact, the concept of working together is arguably the way human beings came together to develop villages, towns, and even cities in the first place. Mutual benefit and prosperity - rather than a windfall for just one person, or a small group of individuals, at the top - can positively impact entire communities, regions, states, and even the nation as a whole.
Stronger Together shares their take on the history of worker cooperatives and explains that,
We see a Worker Co-op as truly giving power to the working class of America. Though, through most of our recent history in the United States, the concept on how a business is run is best described as hierarchical. There is/are the owner(s), or founder(s), of the company or organization who works directly with management, and sometimes workers. In many cases, there are also shareholders which occurs when a business becomes publicly traded. Through this system, it is the boss (and shareholders) who decide how everything is conducted, i.e.: What to produce, How to produce, Where to produce, and What to do with the profits. What a Worker Co-op does is it turns all of that around. All of the employees get a seat at the table, and they also get an equal vote in the decision making process (best explained by Professor Richard D Wolff).
One of the most popular and successful Worker Co-ops that has been around for decades is the Mondragon Corporation, based in Spain. At the bottom of this page you can find a brief description of who they are, and a link to take you directly to their website.
Stronger Together shares their take on the history of worker cooperatives and explains that,
- "The earliest cooperatives appeared in Europe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, during the Industrial Revolution... Early co-ops were set up as a way to protect the interests of the less powerful members of society—workers, consumers, farmers, and producers."
We see a Worker Co-op as truly giving power to the working class of America. Though, through most of our recent history in the United States, the concept on how a business is run is best described as hierarchical. There is/are the owner(s), or founder(s), of the company or organization who works directly with management, and sometimes workers. In many cases, there are also shareholders which occurs when a business becomes publicly traded. Through this system, it is the boss (and shareholders) who decide how everything is conducted, i.e.: What to produce, How to produce, Where to produce, and What to do with the profits. What a Worker Co-op does is it turns all of that around. All of the employees get a seat at the table, and they also get an equal vote in the decision making process (best explained by Professor Richard D Wolff).
One of the most popular and successful Worker Co-ops that has been around for decades is the Mondragon Corporation, based in Spain. At the bottom of this page you can find a brief description of who they are, and a link to take you directly to their website.
Introduce Legislation, Day 1
One of Xavier's primary goals of this campaign will be to empower laborers and grow beyond the already 300-400 democratic workplaces in the United States that exist today, as mentioned on the Democracy At Work Institute website. We know that our nation has been built by, and on the backs of, the Working Class. From farmers and construction crews, to plumbers and truckers, teachers and those in the service industry - we have made America a powerful and competitive country for decades.
On Day 1 of entering office, Xavier will introduce legislation in Washington DC that gives people a chance to not only save their jobs, but their community as well. This campaign isn't about one person or even one party: it is about everyone. Namely, this campaign is about those who have felt disenfranchised and disconnected from the success of America, of which they have helped build. We need working class people on Capitol Hill to represent and fight for the working class of America.
On Day 1 of entering office, Xavier will introduce legislation in Washington DC that gives people a chance to not only save their jobs, but their community as well. This campaign isn't about one person or even one party: it is about everyone. Namely, this campaign is about those who have felt disenfranchised and disconnected from the success of America, of which they have helped build. We need working class people on Capitol Hill to represent and fight for the working class of America.
What is the problem we are facing? |
Larger businesses are motivated almost exclusively by one thing: Profit. Though this motivation may be good for the company overall, it primarily benefits those in the C-suite. As for everyone else and the people these businesses employ, that profit motive usually has little to no significance in their daily lives. Those employees, the staff/crew/team who are actually using their muscles and brains in order to keep production going, see almost nothing from increased productivity or increased profits. Without the tens, hundreds, or even thousands of laborers on the front lines of production, there is no product to be made; there is not profit to be made, and we need to start acknowledging the working class better.
Corporations are constantly looking to cut costs, while maximizing gains. Those financial surpluses, almost always, are on the backs of the workers and, in many cases, comes at the cost of the workers livelihoods. How many times must we hear of corporations moving production out of state, or even overseas, just so the top executives can make bigger profits? How often do the workers see any level of benefit from their years of service, other than a "thank you," and, "good luck!" The concept of top-down businesses may have suited some, but it ultimately impacts the larger part of society in adverse ways. We must change this system, or we can continue to expect the same results we have seen for decades, and even centuries. |
How to reach our goals and accomplish our mission! |
We want lawmakers on Capitol Hill to look out for those who have helped develop this nation, and who continue to do so every day.
We will work with lawmakers to write legislation that will:
We can achieve this by drafting a bill that states: If a business in the US decides to:
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The Mondragon CorporationMONDRAGON Corporation is the embodiment of the co-operative movement that began in 1956, the year that witnessed the creation of the first industrial cooperative in Mondragón in the province of Gipuzkoa; its business philosophy is contained in its Corporate Values:
Cooperation, Participation, Social Responsibility, and Innovation |
Photo Credit: Wikiedia Commons
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