Madison has a lot going for it, but it also suffers from unacceptable racial and economic disparities. Worker cooperatives have a long history of addressing these disparities in many parts of the world, including right here at home. The Madison Cooperative Development Coalition (MCDC) builds on this tradition by supporting the creation of more businesses that are worker-owned and operated.

Membership in a worker co-op isn’t just a stable job, it’s empowerment to run the business together, for the benefit of the workers, their families, and their community. That makes worker co-ops an effective, long-term solution to poverty.

Additionally, worker co-ops are also an excellent solution for small business owners who are ready to sell, but want to make sure their business remains in the hands of community members. That’s because the people best qualified to operate the business are the ones who are already doing it.