When all of our working experiences have been in profit-maximizing enterprises, or in workplaces that are structured hierarchically, it is no wonder that we can encounter challenges when attempting to run an enterprise democratically.
Worker Cooperatives
Can Cooperating Transform How We Work Together?
Course Description
Worker cooperatives are enterprises that are owned and governed by workers. When all of our working experiences have been in profit-maximizing enterprises, or in workplaces that are structured hierarchically, it is no wonder that we can encounter challenges when attempting to run an enterprise democratically. In this course we will explore the challenges and tensions when there are no bosses to hate!
- Session Scheduling: 6 Online Sessions / 1.5 hour per session
- Course Fee: USD$60 (Regular Price) / USD$40 (Students/Workers/Unemployed)
- Class Size: Class Limited to 10 Students
Registration is now closed for this course. Please check out other courses on offer.
Course Facilitators
Emi Do (she/they) is a passionate advocate and student of solidarity-based economic organizing. Currently one of 30+ worker-owners of Sustainability Solutions Group, an multi-national environmentally consulting firm, Emi was first exposed to the cooperative model as a small-scale farmer. Recognizing the transformative potential of the cooperative model, Emi earned a PhD for research on agricultural cooperatives in Japan, and expanded their scope of study to include democratized workplaces to co-author Cooperatives at Work.
Matt Noyes (he/they) is a farm worker, solidarity economy and cooperative educator/organizer, and translator based in Colorado Springs. He studied solidarity economy and cooperative organization at Mondragon University and is co-author of Cooperatives at Work (with George Cheney and others). He is active in food rescue, a local buyers’ club, and several cooperatives, including Social.coop and GEO.coop.
Class Time
- 7am: Pakistan
- 7:30am: India/Sri Lanka
- 8am: Bangladesh
- 8:30am: Myanmar
- 8:45am: Nepal
- 9am: Indonesia/Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam
- 10am: Hong Kong/Taiwan/China/Philippines/Singapore/Malaysia
- 11am: Japan/Korea
- *7pm Pacific Time or 10pm US Eastern Time the previous day
Class Project
Organizing journal. After each session, participants will be invited to jot down their thoughts on what they learned and how it connects to their own organizing or general group experiences. This journal will be a space to notice insights, challenges, and ideas to bring back to the group.
Weekly Class Schedule
Session 1 – Oct 11, 2025: Why should we work cooperatively together? (and why is it sometimes so hard?)
“Cooperating wouldn’t be so hard if it weren’t for all the people involved.” Many of us know the frustration of trying to align with others, even when it seems clear to us that a group could benefit from collective action.
In this session we’ll introduce the cooperative movement, how a cooperative differs from a traditional business, and what we can learn from the ways cooperatives work to co-create solutions through the foundations of shared ownership.
Session 2 – Oct 18, 2025: How can we work together cooperatively?
Working together takes more than good intentions: it requires addressing how we communicate and hold one another accountable with each other.
In this session we’ll explore how to communicate cooperatively to build trust, and support one another in staying aligned with common goals. We will also explore tools and practices that help groups veer away from a ‘punishment’ mindset to moving towards leaning into holding ourselves and supporting others to stay accountable to the group.
Session 3 – Nov 1, 2025 (we skip Oct 25): How can we work together cooperatively (part II)?
Meetings are where much of cooperative work happens. A poorly run meeting can feel frustrating or unproductive, while a well-facilitated one can inspire action, surface new ideas, and strengthen group cohesion.
In this session, we’ll look at what makes meetings effective spaces for deliberation and decision-making. We’ll explore practices of “meeting hygiene” that help groups stay focused, inclusive, and productive and identify what indicators we use to determine a meeting’s efficacy.
Session 4 – Nov 8, 2025: How do we make decisions cooperatively?
Being able to make a decision is a powerful authority. Distributing decision making authority can feel vulnerable, but ultimately empowers more people to take responsibility for the group’s process.
In this session, we’ll examine different models of cooperative decision-making, and what it takes to balance efficiency with inclusivity. We’ll explore strategies to help groups move forward with clarity, while honoring diverse voices and perspectives in the process.
Session 5 – Nov 15, 2025 : How do we own things together cooperatively?
The idiom “put your money where your mouth is” illustrates that how we allocate resources–whether money, time, skills, or assets– is a powerful signal for our priorities. But not everyone comes to a group with the same level of access to resources, which can create tension when we try to share ownership fairly.
In this session, we’ll unpack what “shared ownership” really means and how that is reflected in addressing complex topics like compensation and surplus allocation.
Session 6 – Nov 22, 2025: How do we change the world together… cooperatively?
Let’s talk about social transformation! Reflection on the course, the skills, and our shared and individual experiences working through the different sessions.
Bring your journals and be prepared to share!
Registration is now closed for this course. Please check out other courses on offer.
To contact us: convenor@labourschool.org
