According to Adam Vartikar, founder and chair of the advocacy group Working Wealth, Massachusetts has 42,000 small businesses whose owners are likely to retire in the next seven to 10 years, collectively […]
Read More >Public Policy and Advocacy
Berkeley Sets the Bar for Municipal Support of Worker Cooperatives
Last night, Berkeley City Council unanimously adopted a set of recommendations provided by the Sustainable Economies Law Center (Law Center) and a coalition of worker coop members and advocates. In […]
Read More >City of Baltimore commits funding to help BRED accelerate business conversions to worker cooperatives
The Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy (BRED) is thrilled to announce that Baltimore has joined other leading cities in committing public support for worker cooperative development. With the award of […]
Read More >Illinois Proposal Aims To Empower Worker Co-ops
Co-ops allow their employees to also be the owners. But state law doesn’t recognize them as a business entity, which makes it hard to get financial backing. State Rep. Carol […]
Read More >Berkeley Pledges Support and Funding for Worker Co-ops
Last week, the Cheeseboard’s longtime home committed to a new strategy for fighting economic inequality and building the local economy: city support for worker cooperatives. The Berkeley City Council voted […]
Read More >Support for Employee Ownership Climbs Nationally
Last year’s Main Street Employee Ownership Act, which authorized firms seeking to convert to employee ownership to access Small Business Administration partially-guaranteed loans of up to $5 million, was the first […]
Read More >Worker Ownership Initiative Launched by Nonprofit Lender in Nation’s Capital
Last week, a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI), the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF), which has operated in the nation’s capital since 1987, launched its DC Employee Ownership Initiative to help existing worker-owned business […]
Read More >Worker Cooperative Resolution Passes Unanimously in Cook County
The Cook County measure, in which the Cook County Board of Commissioners asserted its support for the development and growth of worker cooperatives, passed unanimously on October 17th. Getting legislation passed in […]
Read More >Worker Co-ops Catch on in Philadelphia
Last fall, Colombia native Luis Eduardo Lozano and four other immigrant day laborers, tired of the indignities of scant, irregular hours and wage theft from employers, formalized the PWA Handymen […]
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Webinar: A Historic Moment: Celebrating the Passage of the Main Street Employee Ownership Act
Recorded on 08-27-2018 The US Federation of Worker Cooperatives and Democracy at Work Institute are thrilled to announce that the Main Street Employee Ownership Act was signed into law on […]
Read More >What a ‘silver tsunami’ of retiring Baby Boomer business owners could mean for their workers
The new provision could also help address what has been called a “silver tsunami” of retiring Baby Boomer business owners. Much has been made of what that generation’s departure from […]
Read More >Time is ripe for employee ownership of small businesses (Commentary)
Eventually, good ideas are implemented once someone understands and believes in them. This is the scenario for the recent passage of the Main Street Employee Ownership Act, which was signed […]
Read More >The government just made it easier for workers to own a piece of their employer
Previously known as the Main Street Employee Ownership Act, the mandate was tacked on by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Her goal: Help more workers to own a piece […]
Read More >Employee-ownership option in national defense bill could give workers a share of their company
When it comes to capitalism, Republicans like it and Democrats like it when everyone gets a piece of the pie. The Main Street Employee Ownership Act, led by Sen. Kirsten […]
Read More >Main Street Employee Ownership Act Signed Into Law
ESOP and co-ops alike reward employees by sharing in the success of the company, creating an effective incentive for management and employees to perform well. Often, small businesses are the […]
Read More >USA passes new law to aid business transition to worker-ownership
Worker co-ops in the USA have welcomed the Main Street Employee Ownership Act, which improves access to capital and technical assistance for employee-owned businesses. Signed into law on 13 August, it is the […]
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The U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives celebrates the passing of the first national legislation that focuses on worker cooperatives
As the national membership organization for worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces, the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives applauds this bipartisan effort to improve small business loans and outreach for employee […]
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USFWC speaks at press conference with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Nydia Velázquez
The House of Representatives passed the Main Street Employee Ownership act (HR 5236), now it’s on to the Senate! Our Executive Director Esteban Kelly participated in a press conference on […]
Read More >U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Tours Employee-Owned Business and Meets with Workers in Stevens Point
Senator Baldwin’s Worker Owned Wealth Act aims to promote employee ownership business models like Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) or worker cooperatives that give workers a seat at the table and help […]
Read More >Commentary: Bill would help retiring business owners transfer ownership to workers
As with Susanne Ward, employee ownership can often provide business owners the best chance to secure their retirement, while sustaining the jobs and economic activity our communities depend on. In […]
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