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This article examines how rumors impact democracy and transparency in a cooperative workplace. Although literature on rumors generally analyzes them as negative to workplace culture, the author argues that rumors constitute a critical aspect of democratic participation. Drawing on long-term ethnographic fieldwork in a worker-recuperated business in Argentina, the author shows how members use rumors to incite deliberation, participate in decision-making, question organizational policy, and oversee managerial authority.

It’s worth remembering at this point the huge challenges that our communities have faced under lockdown. The most vulnerable in our society have been further isolated, needing to shield themselves from the wider population for months on end. While accessing everyday necessities such as food and prescriptions are the most immediate concerns, the disconnection and loneliness that comes with the lockdown also have the potential to cause significant problems.

Sion Whellens discusses practical ways to structure governance and decision making in different types of cooperatives.

“Years of work and efforts have gone into restarting the Quinhagak fishery with the support of Qanituuq Inc, the City of Quinhagak, Native Village of Kwinhagak, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Wildfish Marketing, E & E Foods, Coastal Village Seafoods and the fishermen of Quinhagak.

In a number of American communities, former G.I.’s proposed new integrated communities. Winning the war against fascism abroad created interest in building a new America at home. Among these were a number of housing co-ops. The many cooperative housing communities that sprouted after the war proudly followed the Rochdale Principles, named after the English town that launched the co-op movement in 1844.

The Worker Co-op Conference is the only national convening dedicated to worker ownership and workplace democracy. We will come together as worker owners, cooperative developers, policymakers, funders, and other allies, to make space for connection, education, skill-building, and sharing to improve the lives of workers and their families.

Find out more and Register here

Co-operatives are an exceptional collective entrepreneurship start-up option. In this webinar we identify another pathway to collective entrepreneurship via the co-operative model: the conversion of existing businesses to co-operatives. This is particularly pertinent today given the succession crisis that we will face in the coming years. Over half of the Canadian population are baby boomers.

Cooperatives are all the rage! And that’s because cooperatives are, well, pretty great. They can change lives, communities, regions, and entire economies.

At the same time, while an increasing number of people are discovering cooperatives, it’s not always clear how or where to learn more about them – whether you want the fundamentals or to dig in deeper with specifics.