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Cecily Sailer's avatar

I don't know you, obviously, but I like your "abrasive" personality. You just seem honest and real, and I appreciate it. Also enjoy language like "shit-eating lawyers." That feels real too. I'll be turning into a paid subscriber soon. But I have pre-ordered the book! Thank you for your work.

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Charles Bryan's avatar

As if you would recount personal stories of flipping off other drivers or some such.

Today's post has made me curious about "employee-owned" companies. Publix states that it's 80% employee-owned. They hire a CEO (who is well paid, but not as well paid as Kroger's CEO). The founding family holds 20%, which probably gives them meaningful control. Something for me to go down a rabbit hole or two about.

The corporate/shareholder model isn't the only one, as anyone with a credit union membership/account can attest to. CU's aren't perfect, and I don't know how many are unionized, but I'm happy letting them hold my money.

The May 2028 target date is very interesting - early enough in an election year to possibly have some effects.

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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Great article! I love the empowerment it encourages.

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Nina Tatlock's avatar

Workers of the world, unite!

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W. R. Dunn's avatar

Well, unions and management negotiate power, yes, and it can be nasty, I agree. But if a more cooperative approach meant a stronger business with better products and prospects, why wouldn’t a free society entertain that variety of labor relations too? Personally, I abhor dictatorships of any persuasion, whether those of unrestrained capitalism or the vaunted “dictatorship of the proletariat.” As the protagonist in “Lucky Jim” observed, nice things are incomparably nicer than nasty ones.

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Xavier's avatar

What you're describing is called "business unionism" and it doesn't work. Plenty of history and evidence of it not working. This is how union leaders get co.promised and the union starts withering.

https://www.socialistalternative.org/2022/03/03/what-is-the-role-of-socialists-in-the-labor-movement/

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W. R. Dunn's avatar

Cooperation has many names, I suppose, and some few of them may work sometimes in some circumstances for some activities.

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Xavier's avatar

If you'd like to read the article then respond I'm happy to have a discussion. Until then I will keep dismissing you as the center right lib you are. What gall to tell workers not to use the full force of their power. The UAW and the teamsters didn't go far enough. They definitely would have gotten more if the Teamsters actually struck and if UAW went full force strike.

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W. R. Dunn's avatar

Saw it. Read it. Thanks. “Zero-sum” and “fight all the time” analysis only achieves so much, I think. Sure, we land there sometimes, but if you always look for a fight you always find one. I’ve tried both starting points over the years, and I like the calmer better.

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Jeremy Allingham's avatar

Keep up the good work, big guy!

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Stephen Breyer's Ice Cream's avatar

"If are doing something that makes a management-side attorney cry and moan, you are clearly on the right track."

So, you're saying it's open season on wedgies for management-side attorneys?

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MD's avatar

In my opinion, you have a confrontational personality and it would help more than hurt

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