Multiple entrepreneurial ecosystems? Worker cooperative development in Toronto and Montréal

The emergence in practice of worker cooperative ecosystems, which draws on the entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) concept, has been largely ignored in academic research. Contrasting worker cooperative development efforts in Toronto with Montréal, we affirm there are multiple and multiscalar EEs in each region, including both a dominant capitalist and a worker cooperative EE. Productive enterprises like worker cooperatives, operating with a different logic than investor-owned firms, not only construct their own EE, but the relational connectedness of the worker cooperative EE to other EEs also plays a role in outcomes. Worker cooperatives have been less successful in navigating these dynamics in Toronto than in Montréal. Future research might seek to more fully specify the relational and multiscalar configuration of regions’ multiple EEs.

THE RULES OF REMUNERATION OF THE WORKER COOPERATIVE MEMBERS

The subject of the foregoing study is an analysis of the specific rules for the remuneration of members of a worker cooperative who, by contributing to the organisation, participate in the economic risks associated with its operation. Each member of a worker cooperative is guaranteed the right to participate in the profit (balance surplus) of the cooperative, but at the same time participates in covering its losses up to the amount of the declared contribution. This special status of members of a worker cooperative, together with the obligation to work for that organisation on the basis of an employment relationship, has an impact on the remuneration of that category of workers. This can be seen in the structure of their remuneration, which consists of the current salary and the share of the balance surplus to be distributed among the members in accordance with the rules laid down in the statutes. Moreover, the current salary of a member of a worker cooperative and his share of the balance surplus are under protection provided by labour law for the remuneration of the employees.

COOPERATIVE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AS THE BASIS FOR ESTABLISHING AN EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP

The subject of the foregoing study is the characteristics of the cooperative employment contract, which is the basic form of employment of worker cooperatives members, and, in principle, is used only there. The legislator requires that, in addition to the cases laid down in the provisions of the Cooperative Law, the cooperative member is employed for the entire duration of the membership on the basis of a cooperative employment contract, which has a significant impact on the way in which the contract is concluded and its content. Pursuant to Article 182 of Cooperative Law, as soon as a person joins a worker cooperative, both the cooperative and its member are obliged to enter into and remain in a cooperative employment relationship with each other. Importantly, if the employment relationship is not established through the fault of the cooperative, the member may claim, for the entire duration of the membership, the conclusion of a cooperative employment contract, and apart from that, he may, within one year from the date of becoming a member, claim compensation under the provisions of civil law. These claims are subject to the cognition of the labour court.

When workers matter most: a study of worker cooperatives and the prioritization of workers through COVID-19

PurposeAs a part of the authors’ continued efforts to understand the experience and trends related to small business cooperatives, the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC) and the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI) explored themes around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces.Design/methodology/approachThe USFWC and DAWI conduct a biannual Economic Census of worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces. Survey themes this year included questions around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individual firms.FindingsGeneral findings indicate that worker cooperatives experienced financial losses similar to conventional small businesses, but that this varied widely by industry. Although it has been found that BIPOC-owned conventional small businesses have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic, the authors find that there may be some mitigating protective effects of the worker cooperative form when the authors explore the impacts on worker cooperatives with a majority BIPOC workforce. Additionally, the authors find that worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces strive to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their workers even when facing significant financial challenges throughout the pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThis research utilizes non-random convenience sampling in data collection. The outreach for our biannual Economic Census is concentrated on a highly connected worker cooperative and democratic workplace network, the experiences of which may not generalize to the larger worker cooperative and democratic workplace landscape. Additionally, outreach efforts were hindered by challenges presented by the pandemic that were not present in prior census years, as was firm bandwidth to respond, which likely affected the sample composition in comparison to prior years.Originality/valueWorker cooperatives have been proven to be a resilient crisis response form of business, but little is known about how the worker cooperative ecosystem in the United States is faring in the face of the continuing COVID-19 crisis.

A freelancers’ cooperative as a case of democratic institutional experimentation for better work: a case study of SMart-Belgium

This article discusses the experimentation led by SMart in Belgium, a worker cooperative founded to support freelance artists – and subsequently extended to other freelancers – with the aim of helping them reduce four forms of uncertainties that affect such workers. Over the past 20 years, SMart has sought to secure broader access to social protections for these workers, shifting its strategies to accommodate the changes in rules set by the Belgian federal state. Today, experimentation abounds for various types of intermediation with new forms of employment, but SMart is notable for its ambition to build a cooperative firm providing the protections of wage work to beneficiaries otherwise ignored by social policies. Based on qualitative research conducted from a Deweyan perspective, and 48 in-depth interviews with SMart worker-members, the authors examine the ways in which SMart can be considered an example of democratic institutional experimentation providing collective capabilities to its worker-members in pursuit of better work.

By Hook Or By Crook: From Pedicab Drivers to Company Owners through Start-Up Worker Co-Operatives

Disruption of information technology has threatened several jobsin the informal sector. As a result, the income gap between the rich and the poor can get wider. In Purwokerto, Central Java, the emergence of online application-based transportation has disrupted the work of becak drivers. This research used actionresearch method. In action research, researcher conduct research and at the same time make changes and interventions to the object. In the first stage, diagnosis,it was found that becak drivers' work was no longer competitive. Therefore, the intervention made with establishing a start-up worker co-operativesmodel, an online-based worker-cooperative for former becak drivers. In this model, becak drivers are directed to work in service sectors, such as cleaning service, gardener, plumber, and other service works.Orderingprocess can bemade through online application which can be downloaded for free in android devices.There are two implications in this study. First, in theory, this study offers a relatively new model, start-up worker co-operative. This model enables all workers to be owners in their co-operative company. Second, in practice, if successfully implemented, this model can be replicated for other sectors and other regions. As a result, start-up worker co-operative can be one solution to overcome income inequality.