Participation in Worker Cooperatives

Ch. 20. P. 436–453.

Vieta M., Quarter J., Spear R., Moskovskaya A. A.

This chapter discusses different models of worker co-operatives ranging from those that are predominantly economic associations, or a form of employee ownership, to those that are more collectivist and emphasize workplace democracy, community commitment and co-operative ideals. Worker co-operatives that focus upon employee ownership are primarily a variation of a business corporation; worker co-operatives with a more collectivist orientation are primarily a form of co-operative, but with members that are employees rather than consumers of a service, or primary producers, such as farmers. More recently, hybrid arrangements have been created that integrate a worker co-operative within a business corporation and a co-operative, a multi-stakeholder co-operative, or social co-operative. Takeovers of abandoned investor-owned businesses resulting in worker cooperatives are a growing phenomenon in South America.

Keywords: worker co-operatives, workplace democracy, community commitment

Publication based on the results of: Social entrepreneurship on the social services market in Russia: models, actors and ways to institutionalize (in the framework of the international project “International comparative social enterprise model”, ICSEM) (2015)

In book

The Palgrave Handbook of Volunteering, Civic Participation, and Nonprofit Associations

Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.