Your opinions on W.S.D.E's. Are they worth getting behind/supporting

[Always Curious J]

If you don't know what it stands for wokers self directed enterprises. It is a "business" which the workers collectively decide how to run the business. For example, a major thing they do is decide what to do with the money they receive. The way in which they'd make these decisions could vary, but I believe it would be democratically planed with each worker voting on the decisions. I personally think they are a great way for a business to be run, and with enough support, I think they could eventually act as a transition away from the exploitation filled capitalist business model of today, (as those who produce the value via their labor would decide what to do with it) to an almost socialist society. Why would it be socialist? Because the workers would own and run the means of production. Obviously I am biased towards them if you haven't realized it haha. Futhermore, many problems of todays businesses could be solved such as outsourcing of jobs, poor pay, bad working conditions, massive gap between highest and lowest paid worker, massive layoffs due to better technology etc. WSDE's would solve these because workers would obviously vote in their favor and against these things. Today those negative things are enacted as it increases the profits of those who don't have to live with the results. Workers on the other hand would be directly affected by these decisions. Finally, this democracy in the workplace would help give people a more active role in politics as they'd make sure they'd have enough time to vote, and would already have experience.
Anyways, what I am asking for is if you think this is a feasible and worthwhile concept, and one that would be worth working for until real communism can be reached? Thanks for your time!

Quick note: much of this information on WSDE's comes from Richard Wolff whom I learned about them from. Check him out if time permits at Richardwolff.com or democracyatwork.info

Edit: quick follow up question, what would you say should be the first step towards communism? I thought these would be a good way to show that the capitalistic system of exploitation isn't the only way for things to work, thus opening up opportunity for debate on the sytem which could make more people realize it massive flaws and communism as a solution which would strengthen the movement and set the stage for revolution. Peaceful or violent revolution depending on numerous variables.

[blake 3:17]

I've known a few people who've worked in different types of workers co-ops and they've had very mixed feelings about them.

Wolff is arguing for state subsidies or other economic incentives for this kind of arrangement, which could make them much more pleasant and more democratic.

[cantwealljustgetalong]

It's certainly worth looking into, but I think Wolff is partially pushing this as a way of getting people to think about the fact that people can run the economy. Despite his campaign, I think if he is an honest Marxist he is pessimistic about our current government getting behind something like this, and that it would take a serious social movement dedicated to worker's self-government to get anything like this as a widespread thing. Lately, he hasn't exactly struck me as an honest Marxist, but I greatly appreciate his superstructural role as a Marx popularizer.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

Hmmm...though I doubt such a thing would necessarily further the revolution, I'm all for supporting causes that will ease the burden of the working class (if only for the short term).

[Crabbensmasher]

Well, it really constitutes no threat to capitalism or private property, but the idea is sound. Unfortunately, they're regarded nowadays as being inefficient and less competitive. To an extent, I think that is true in a market economy. Their hard to "take seriously", and many would probably only subsist off of subsidies.
Like, there are stories of cooperatives being very successful, but most I don't really know if you'd consider worker-managed. Like consumer cooperatives, etc.
That being said, I think that workers can accomplish anything when they cooperate with each other, but most coops really start out with the odds stacked up against them. Like, you can't argue, a business hierarchy is a damned efficient tool for exploiting people and raking in money. And even if you have the best intentions going into a coop, sometimes, they just don't go in the right direction, be it from misunderstandings, lack of knowledge, or infighting.

[Always Curious J]

Hmmm...though I doubt such a thing would necessarily further the revolution, I'm all for supporting causes that will ease the burden of the working class (if only for the short term).

The way I looked at it is that it could help show the working masses that there are other viable ways to do things. This of course would cause many to question the system and, the way I see it, make revolution that much closer as more workers would become conscious of the situation.