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What's up with employee-owned companies/co-ops? How does it compare to a strong union? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 3 days ago by doubtingtammy@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I'm interested in leftist opinions of employee-owned companies. If that's still too broad, could you give some examples of employees buying their employer out? Or are there other ways, like with a union?

Also, what's up with King Arthur's and Bob's Red Mill?

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[–] bubbalu@hexbear.net 4 points 3 days ago

Worker cooperatives prove the important but limited point that while capitalists need workers, workers don't need capitalists. Most 'employee-owned' companies in the US and UK are mainly owned by the highest levels of management with some more buy-in for middle management. It's typically done with some kind of vesting scheme that keeps junior employees on the hook for years.

These firms still exist firmly within a capitalist context and require workers to become their own exploiters.