Want to start your own business, but can’t quite make it happen on your own? Democratically-run worker-owned cooperatives are flourishing nationwide, offering every kind of service from bicycle repair to tech support, legal advice to natural foods, publishing to design. From bakeries to bookstores, grocery stores to galleries, cooperatives are founded on principles of egalitarian decision-making and labor-sharing. Any profits generated by the collective body of worker-owners goes directly to them, or towards maintaining the business -- not to an outside body of shareholders or non-democratically elected “bosses."

An alternative model to 100% worker-ownership is that of the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) workplace, which entails some amount of democratic voting and profit-sharing by the workers, though a major portion of shares may be sold to or retained by the public, or an executive body. ESOP’s are often born from existing companies who are expanding their operations, while co-ops can be either incorporated as such from their inception, or as a result of an employee buyout of an existing business. Cooperatives also exist in the form of umbrella organizations such as farmer coops, which combine the output of multiple small farms in order to be able to command equitable prices.

In an uncertain economy, worker-ownership makes attractive sense. With every worker-owner allotted an equal vote, job security is “owned” and economic sacrifices (wage freezes, labor hour cuts, benefit reductions) are decided upon and shared equally by the member body. Not beholden to outside stockholders or remote executives, co-ops are able to weather economic fluctuations better than share-driven corporations, or even non-profit organizations, whose dependence on grants and donations puts them at financial risk during tight times. And during flush seasons, worker-owners also share in the business’ success through profit-sharing, patronage refunds, or expansion.

Several organizations exist to support fledgling and established worker-owned cooperatives. Most notably, the National Cooperative Business Association (http://www.ncba.coop) and the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (http://www.usworker.coop) offer a variety of resources for new and existing cooperatives, including conferences and development training — just the tools you need to fire your bosses for good — before economic circumstances force them to do it to you first.