Techreport,
Ours to Share : How Worker-Ownership Can Change the American Economy
Report, The Surdna Foundation, New York, (March 2016)
Abstract
Since the 2007 financial meltdown, we have seen firsthand the disruptive power of rising inequality and economic volatility. The Great Recession brought to the forefront the need for inclusive, sustainable growth and economic security for all. At the Surdna Foundation, we began thinking deeply about potential ways to reverse rising inequality, as lower- and middle-income workers—those with few opportunities for building wealth and limited job security—were hit hardest by the downturn. We wanted a path to buffer workers from future economic crises while offering them a greater degree of control over their jobs. A new report, Ours to Share looks at one of those possible solutions: worker-owned firms. We study the role that worker-ownership is playing, and has the potential to play, in building momentum toward a future of economic security and recovery in the U.S. and globally. Can worker- cooperatives (co-ops) compete with other firms on productivity? Do they actually promote greater income equality? Are those jobs more stable and secure?
