Forum Post: Left Forum 2015 Part 2

Session 2(5/30/15):Democracy at Work:Achieving Social Change Through Worker Coops...Panelists included Maria Carnemolla,Richard D.Wolff,Carmen Huertas Noble,Michael Peck,Ted De Barbieri.This discussion was actually very informative as there were extensive remarks by the 2 lawyers,C.H.Noble&T.De Barbieri,along with interesting information provided by m.Peck,who is the N.A.Delagate for Mondragon.The Panelists proceeded with the theory that Worker's Cooperatives are actually a viable solution to Capitalism and its many problems,and the Self Directed Enterprise might well be the most profoundly corrective alternative of any known at this time for such problems as the continuously worsening income and wealth inequalities we are seeing.About a third of the available time was spent discussing the problems encountered when trying to set up or convert an enterprise from the old model of owners/board of directors to a model based on an enterprise that is managed by workers in a democratic manner.It was pointed out by the Mondragon Representative that one of the main obstacles in such endeavors is that workers themselves often are the main obstacle to the transition.What was done in such cases was a move to a non-profit model that is not exactly a democratic situation.So there was some discussion of whether or not it's desirable to utilize non-democratic methods in pursuit of democracy.All of the panelists had interesting and relevant presentations.There was a short q&a at the end.Summary:A good presentation with plenty of useful information.