Trade unions and producer co-operatives

Abstract

Although the trade union and producer co-operative movements have similar historical roots and share many common aims, the relationships between the two have often been uneasy. As the number of new producer co-operatives has recently increased rapidly in many Western countries this paper aims to reexamine the relationship between the two movements. The paper is in two parts. The first part re-appraises some of the arguments against trade unions supporting producer co-operatives. The second part describes the role that trade unions could play both within individual producer co-operatives and in the wider movement. The author concludes that both movements have much to gain from closer collaboration.