Are there any worker-owned companies out there?

[AlexJohnson]

I've been reading up on 'market socialism' lately, and I found it interesting that essentially, the owner of a company could, if he was a leftist and wasn't greedy, have his company run democratically, creating something like the ideal of 'market socialism.'

Are there any companies like this out there?

[Amusing Scrotum]

There may be some in Argentina; I distinctly remember reading something about it.

[Mcas]

The coffee shop I used to go to in my hometown was a workers collective. All members decided on who could work there - group intervews. At the end of the year profit is distributed to all the workers as well.

[Phalanx]

My local grocery store is worker-owned as far as I know. There's also plenty of online stores that are worker-owned.

[Iseult_]

A restaurant in Berkeley,CA is:


http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/

[encephalon]

There's a restaraunt/bar in Athens, Ohio called "Casa Nueva" that is worker owned and all profits are distributed evenly between all (80 or so) employees. Administrative issues are voted on, and as far as I know they take turns doing different jobs.

There's actually a growing "CoOp" movement in the states, from what I can tell. I don't think it will hit mainstream or anything, but it's interesting to note.

[which doctor]

Originally posted by Amusing [email protected] 11 2006, 01:34 AM
There may be some in Argentina; I distinctly remember reading something about it.
Yes, there are quite a few worker-owned factories in Argentina. The workers were able to retake their closed factories through a sort of loophole. Workers earn equal wages and all have an equal stake and voice in running the factory. From what I've heard, it's really quite successful.


In the wake of the 2001 economic crisis, about two hundred Argentine companies were "recovered" by their workers and turned into co-operatives. Prominent examples include the Brukman factory, the Hotel Bauen and FaSinPat (formerly known as Zanon). As of 2005, about 15,000 Argentine workers run recovered factories. [1]

Many recovered factories are run co-operatively and all workers receive the same wage. Important management decisions are taken democratically by an assembly of all workers, rather than by professional managers.

The proliferation of these "recoveries" has led to the formation of a recovered factory movement, which has ties to a diverse political network including Peronists on the left and right, anarchists and communists. Organizationally, this includes two major federations of recovered factories, the larger Movimiento Nacional de Empresas Recuperadas (or National Movement of Recuperated Businesses, or MNER) on the left and the smaller Movimiento Nacional de Fabricas Recuperadas (National Movement of Recuperated Factories or MNFR) on the right [2]. Some labor unions, MTDs (unemployed workers movements) and the piqueteros have also provided support for these take-overs.

There is a grocery store near me that claims to be "employee owned". I'm not sure how the corporation actually works, but it is a corporation and not a worker's collective. There are bosses, managers, wage slaves, etc,

[lithium]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11 2006, 05:08 AM
I've been reading up on 'market socialism' lately, and I found it interesting that essentially, the owner of a company could, if he was a leftist and wasn't greedy, have his company run democratically, creating something like the ideal of 'market socialism.'

Are there any companies like this out there?
Have a look on Wikipedia for cooperatives, there's a small section on worker's cooperatives.

I've actually been thinking about this myself lately, and how they are run. I have a mad idea of setting up a Workers' Grocery Company at some stage!

[R_P_A_S]

Originally posted by lithium+Sep 11 2006, 09:07 PM--> (lithium @ Sep 11 2006, 09:07 PM)
[email protected] 11 2006, 05:08 AM
I've been reading up on 'market socialism' lately, and I found it interesting that essentially, the owner of a company could, if he was a leftist and wasn't greedy, have his company run democratically, creating something like the ideal of 'market socialism.'

Are there any companies like this out there?
Have a look on Wikipedia for cooperatives, there's a small section on worker's cooperatives.

I've actually been thinking about this myself lately, and how they are run. I have a mad idea of setting up a Workers' Grocery Company at some stage! [/b]
that really interest me comrade! let me know what you are reading. or where i should look in..

[D_Bokk]

The Take (2004) is a good documentary about Argentine workers taking over companies for themselves, if some of you are looking for more information.

[Janus]

There are lots of co-ops out there that are technically businesses but there are no major companies that are worker owned though since that would pretty much be impossible.

[Phugebrins]

As I recall, the Basque Mondragón company is. I think the American 'Z' magazine-thing is, in theory, some form of parecon-based system. What that means in practice, I don't know.

[which doctor]

One of the major stepping stones to creating a truly worker owned business is capital. See, workers tend not be wealthy so they don't have the money to start up their own business or factory.

Workers in Argentina are able to bypass this by going through judicial channels and reclaiming their closed factories.

[WUOrevolt]

Blue Stocking bookstore in NYC is worker owned, and I believe that akpress is as well.

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13 2006, 10:50 PM
Blue Stocking bookstore in NYC is worker owned, and I believe that akpress is as well.
where is that in NYC?

[bezdomni]

I do volunteer work every now and then at Sedition Books, which is kind of a worker's collective in Houston.

There are no bosses, there are just people who work there all the time (and coincidentally live there) and people who just volunteer there every now and then.

[Organic Revolution]

there is a worker owned and ran grocery store in kenosha wisconson

[Conghaileach]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13 2006, 11:31 PM
As I recall, the Basque Mondragón company is.
The Basque Country has a long history of social economy projects.

[Phalanx]

Originally posted by Organic [email protected] 14 2006, 03:28 AM
there is a worker owned and ran grocery store in kenosha wisconson
Are you thinking of Woodman's?

[Delta]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11 2006, 09:45 AM
A restaurant in Berkeley,CA is:


http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/
Yes, and it's quite good (as my scone this morning testifies to :D )

[WUOrevolt]

Originally posted by LeftyHenry+Sep 14 2006, 05:32 AM--> (LeftyHenry @ Sep 14 2006, 05:32 AM)
[email protected] 13 2006, 10:50 PM
Blue Stocking bookstore in NYC is worker owned, and I believe that akpress is as well.
where is that in NYC? [/b]
172 Allen Street between Stanton and Rivington :: 212.777.6028

http://www.bluestockings.com/

[Delta]

Yes, AK Press is also worker-owned.

[WUOrevolt]

There are some sweatshop free slothing suppliers I am aware of but I am not sure if they are worker owned.

www.sweatshopwatch.org/sweatfree

[Delta]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13 2006, 08:10 PM
I do volunteer work every now and then at Sedition Books, which is kind of a worker's collective in Houston.

I didn't know about that. My parents live basically in Houston. I'll have to check it out sometime.

Damn, living in Houston? I couldn't stand it. I'm surprised you can.

[Qwerty Dvorak]

I'd really like to get some collectives going in Ireland when I'm older. Maybe some kind of worker-run jazz bar, that would be sooo cool!

[RedCommieBear]

Wikipedia has a list of the "major" co-ops in the United States: Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cooperatives#United_States)

[bezdomni]

Originally posted by Delta+Sep 14 2006, 09:55 PM--> (Delta @ Sep 14 2006, 09:55 PM)
[email protected] 13 2006, 08:10 PM
I do volunteer work every now and then at Sedition Books, which is kind of a worker's collective in Houston.

I didn't know about that. My parents live basically in Houston. I'll have to check it out sometime.

Damn, living in Houston? I couldn't stand it. I'm surprised you can. [/b]
Who said I could stand it? :P


Send a PM next time you're going to be in Houston. The bookstore is kinda hard to find if you don't already know the bus routes and stuff, it isn't in the downtown area, per se. It's just on the outskirt (about 5 minutes on the bus).

Rent in the city is ridiculously high. A radical bookstore/library would go out of business in a day. :P

[Delta]

Hehe, alright, will do :D

[grove street]

This is what socialism/communism is all about, workers having a say in how a business is run and reaping the benefits/rewards of their input beyond a crappy wage salary.

I'm amazed to see this thread, because only last night I was thinking of ways of public ownership and by public ownership I mean when the people own and run something, not the ownership of a buercratic elite state. I started thinking about my job. I work in a restraunt/bar and I started wandering what if all the workers owned a share of the business just like people can own shares in a company and just like how shareholders get a say in how the business is run and a share of the profits so should us the workers.

[bezdomni]

I just gotta say that worker-owned coops under capitalism are no more revolutionary than hippie communes.

They are better than wage slavery, but they aren't revolutionary. The only reason the bookstore is a coop is because everybody who works there is an anarchist or a communist, so it is just within our principles ot organize something that way.

Plus, no bourgeois would open up a radical bookstore. :P

It's really more of a big room in someone's house with a cash register, operating hours, and a ton of books than a store in the traditional sense.

Oh, they also have to pay taxes on their sales. It is an established business.

[grove street]

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2006, 03:51 AM
I just gotta say that worker-owned coops under capitalism are no more revolutionary than hippie communes.

They are better than wage slavery, but they aren't revolutionary. The only reason the bookstore is a coop is because everybody who works there is an anarchist or a communist, so it is just within our principles ot organize something that way.

Plus, no bourgeois would open up a radical bookstore. :P

It's really more of a big room in someone's house with a cash register, operating hours, and a ton of books than a store in the traditional sense.

Oh, they also have to pay taxes on their sales. It is an established business.
But it is a step in the right direction and is a perfect example of true socialism when workers get a say on how a business is run and a share of the profit.

[Delta]

They aren't revolutionary in themselves but the workers experiencing how much better cooperative, democratic structures are than hierarchical ones can radicalize them. And they serve as good examples to the community.

[Angry Young Man]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11 2006, 03:04 PM
The coffee shop I used to go to in my hometown was a workers collective. All members decided on who could work there - group intervews. At the end of the year profit is distributed to all the workers as well.
Baristas in Bristol, per chance? It's quite nice there, but the coffee is VEEEERRRRY strong! I saw advertised "collective coffee shop".
Anyway, what about the co-op? I thought that was a collective. Can someone please clarify where they stand on it?
Mick x x

[grove street]

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2006, 04:45 AM
They aren't revolutionary in themselves but the workers experiencing how much better cooperative, democratic structures are than hierarchical ones can radicalize them. And they serve as good examples to the community.
Exactly, and it is also a good punch in the face to captalists who say that entrupernership is impossible in communism. I personally believe that there would be greater productivity in a workers co-op/collective compared to a normal styled business, because workers will be more motivated when they realise that the harder they work the more they will get in return, unlike a captalist business where it doesn't matter how hard the employess work, because at the end of the day they will still be getting the same crappy wage, while the owners profits increase.

[Whitten]

I think they can be revolutionary. What better way to defeat capitalism than to get most of the labour force working for themselves? I really popular co-ops will be what tips the balance in many more developed countries.

[AlexJohnson]

Originally posted by grove street+Sep 16 2006, 02:34 AM--> (grove street @ Sep 16 2006, 02:34 AM)
[email protected] 15 2006, 04:45 AM
They aren't revolutionary in themselves but the workers experiencing how much better cooperative, democratic structures are than hierarchical ones can radicalize them. And they serve as good examples to the community.
Exactly, and it is also a good punch in the face to captalists who say that entrupernership is impossible in communism. I personally believe that there would be greater productivity in a workers co-op/collective compared to a normal styled business, because workers will be more motivated when they realise that the harder they work the more they will get in return, unlike a captalist business where it doesn't matter how hard the employess work, because at the end of the day they will still be getting the same crappy wage, while the owners profits increase. [/b]
I believe that worker-controlled business would not only motivate workers more but would also favor smaller, localized businesses more than big corps because the smaller the organization, the more workers will be able to see the fruits of their labor.

[grove street]

Originally posted by AlexJohnson+Sep 18 2006, 09:09 PM--> (AlexJohnson @ Sep 18 2006, 09:09 PM)
Originally posted by grove [email protected] 16 2006, 02:34 AM

[email protected] 15 2006, 04:45 AM
They aren't revolutionary in themselves but the workers experiencing how much better cooperative, democratic structures are than hierarchical ones can radicalize them. And they serve as good examples to the community.
Exactly, and it is also a good punch in the face to captalists who say that entrupernership is impossible in communism. I personally believe that there would be greater productivity in a workers co-op/collective compared to a normal styled business, because workers will be more motivated when they realise that the harder they work the more they will get in return, unlike a captalist business where it doesn't matter how hard the employess work, because at the end of the day they will still be getting the same crappy wage, while the owners profits increase.
I believe that worker-controlled business would not only motivate workers more but would also favor smaller, localized businesses more than big corps because the smaller the organization, the more workers will be able to see the fruits of their labor. [/b]
But just imagine it in terms of big business as well. Imagine an international workers co-op that makes shoes for instance and all the workers across the globe get a say in how their factories or offices are ran and all get an equal share of the profit where ever they are an accountant in New York or a factory worker in India. Now imagine that factory worker in India who enjoys the freedom of having a say in how 'his' factory is ran, he gets a decent salary and he gets an equal share of the total world wide profit, imagine how all that money could not only be used to earn his way and his famlies out of poverty, but could also be put back into the community to provide schooling, clean water and health care. It sure as hell beats working in a sweat shop.