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.
