Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

SHRED

(28,136 posts)
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 11:50 AM Jun 2013

Cooperative, Worker Cooperative, Co-Op

The top-down tyranny that exists today in the business world fails the workers and therefore the dwindling middle-class.

This is the business model the USA needs IMHO.
http://www.alvaradostreetbakery.com/cooperative.php

---

A cooperative is a business. Co-ops range in size from small store-fronts to large Fortune 500 companies. In many ways, they're like any other business, but differ in several important ways.

Cooperatives

*Are owned and democratically controlled by their members-the people who use the co-op’s services or buy its goods-not by outside investors; Co-op members elect their board of directors from within the membership.

*Return surplus revenues (income over expenses and investment) to members proportionate to their use of the cooperative, not proportionate to their “investment” or ownership share.

*Are motivated not by profit, but by service-to meet their members’ needs or affordable and high quality goods or services; Exist solely to serve their members.

*Pay taxes on income kept within the co-op for investment and reserves. Surplus revenues from the co-op are returned to individual members who pay taxes on that income.

http://www.ncba.coop/ncba/about-co-ops


Here's an APP to support CO-OPS: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reasondigital.uscooperate

2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Cooperative, Worker Cooperative, Co-Op (Original Post) SHRED Jun 2013 OP
Similar to my credit union: snot Jun 2013 #1
See also Mondragon Corporation snot Jun 2013 #2

snot

(10,524 posts)
1. Similar to my credit union:
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 12:49 PM
Jun 2013

Gives me a much better deal on everything than the big banks; and credit unions did not help cause the 2008 financial meltdown or require any bailout from it.

snot

(10,524 posts)
2. See also Mondragon Corporation
Sat Jun 15, 2013, 12:52 PM
Jun 2013
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondragon_Corporation

"Mondragon cooperatives operate in accordance with Statement on the Co-operative Identity maintained by the International Co-operative Alliance. The standard Statement of Co-operative Identity largely eliminates perverse incentives that contribute to many problems of governance found in organizations with more traditional management structures.[2][3]

* * * * *

"Scholars such as Richard D. Wolff, American professor of economics, have hailed the Mondragon set of enterprises, including the good wages it provides for employees, the empowerment of ordinary workers in decision making, and the measure of equality for female workers, as a major success and have cited it as a working model of an alternative to the capitalist mode of production.[30]"


Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Economy»Cooperative, Worker Coope...