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GuideIntro

Worker Cooperative 101

A starter resource for understanding worker cooperatives, member ownership, and democratic workplace participation.

Source: Democracy at Work InstituteAdded June 12, 2026
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Why it matters

Worker cooperatives are one of the clearest models for combining ownership, voice, and day-to-day participation.

Best for

Teams and advisors looking for a plain starting point before comparing legal structures or governance practices.

This entry is a starter placeholder for a worker cooperative overview resource.

Use this page to collect a short editorial summary, notes on when the resource is most helpful, and links to related Heirloom Library entries.

Editorial Notes

  • Confirm the best canonical source URL before publishing this as a fully reviewed entry.
  • Add a short explanation of how this resource helps teams distinguish worker ownership from broader participation practices.
  • Consider adding companion resources on cooperative bylaws, membership expectations, and capital accounts.

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Heirloom Library entries are summaries and wayfinding notes. The original source is the best place to read the full resource.

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The Worker Co-operative Code

A worker-co-op-specific code explaining how cooperative principles apply to worker-owned businesses, including governance, membership, work, capital, and participation.

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Tool·Intro

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A USFWC collection of short guides and tools on worker co-op fundamentals, including member engagement, boards, structure, decision-making, onboarding, member removal, and meeting templates.

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