Worker Cooperatives
Part 2: Islands Within a Sea of Capitalism
The second episode in our Worker Cooperative series takes a deep dive into the Mondragon Cooperative Corporation, the largest network of federated cooperatives in the world. We take listeners on a journey through the Basque region of Spain where Mondragon is located, and explore Mondragon's successes and challenges through candid conversations with several worker-members at Mondragon headquarters and at various cooperatives within the federation.
After presenting an in-depth exploration of the recent and mixed history of Mondragon from multiple perspectives—including a Marxist analysis—we travel across the Atlantic to Jackson, Mississippi, where an ambitious initiative is just getting underway. Cooperation Jackson is part of the same trans-local organizing movement that inspired Cooperation Richmond, which was featured in Episode one. Cooperation Jackson aims to be the Mondragon of North America.
Featuring
Kali Akuno- Co-Founder and Co-Director of Cooperation Jackson
Gorka Espiau - Senior Fellow at the Agirre Lehendakaria Center at the University of the Basque Country
Sam Gindin - Writer, Director of Research at the Canadian Auto Workers (retired),
Professor of Political Science at York University (retired)
Ander Exteberria - Cooperative Dissemination at Mondragon Corporation
Izaksun Ezpeleta - Worker/member at Fagor Electronics
Andoni - Worker/member at Fagor Ederland
Music
The Johns
Mississippi Sheiks
Many thanks to Phil Wrigglesworth for the cover art, and thank you as to well to Ellie Llewelyn, Kenneth Rosales, and Neda Raymond for assistance with translation and voice over.
This part 2 of a 2-part series. Listen to Part 1:
Support for this episode was provided by:
