A Cautionary Tale from the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives w/ Rebecca Kemble
In this episode of Punchcard, we speak to Rebecca Kemble, an experienced cooperator from the US, who is a member of Union Cabs Worker Coop in Madison and co-founder of the Solidarity Economy Principles Project. From 2009-2016 Rebecca was a member of the board of the US Federation of Worker Coops, and in late 2024,… Read more »
How to Make Decisions with 200 Worker Members w/ Beau Bulman
In this episode of Punchcard, we speak to Beau Bulman, one of the People Development Coordinators at Suma Wholefoods Worker Cooperative, about the challenges and compromises required to practice direct democracy within a cooperative of 200 worker-members, as well as sharing insights into improving member recruitment, member induction, and sustaining a cooperative culture. In addition… Read more »
3 Keys to Strengthen Workplace Democracy w/ Owen Powell
In this episode of Punchcard, we sit down with Owen Powell, a lecturer and researcher with a focus on cooperative democracy. Owen first cut his teeth in the Young Cooperators Network, a national initiative formed by young people seeking cooperative alternatives to traditional economic models following the 2008 financial crash. Since then, he has completed… Read more »
The Rise & Fall of Black Cat Cafe Workers Cooperative w/ Nacho Gomez
In this episode Nacho speaks candidly about the highs & the lows of his & Carla’s 10 year journey with Black Cat Cafe. Even though from the outside Black Cat Cafe seems to be extremely successful Nacho shares about the constant challenges they faced – the difficulties paying members & staff fairly, and the set… Read more »
Accommodating Workers, Residents, and Disability w/ Sam Nordland
In this episode, Sam Nordland reflects on their journey into the worker co-op movement and why conventional workplaces often failed to meet their needs. Sam shares how working in co-operatives offered something different: greater flexibility, mutual support, and the ability to make collective adjustments around disability and access needs that would have been difficult to… Read more »
Welcome to Punchcard
Welcome to Punchcard! Listen to 1-on-1 interview with a worker cooperator sharing their stories, experiences and insights. Share & support Punchcard to move conversation away from traditional capitalist businesses towards worker controlled alternatives. Punchcard is produced by workers.coop and Principle Six.