Starting off as a small shop operating out of a loading bay to a thriving worker co-op that owns its own the entire building, has around 50 dedicated members and is a shining example of what worker cooperatives can accomplish. In this episode of Punchcard, Corrina and I talk about how Unicorn has become such... Read more »

Unfortunately not everybody’s experience of cooperatives is positive. For Elle, their time in co-operatives was both transformative, but also painful, marred by classism that often goes unnamed. In this episode of Punchcard, Elle and I talk about what classism looks like in co-ops, how we can transform it and why inclusion isn’t enough. Listen to... Read more »

Abbas Shapuri’s journey into the worker co-operative movement is not a typical one. Many worker co-operators arrive from the “alternative” or activist scenes. Abbas, however, came from the heart of capitalism: corporate accountancy. In this episode of Punchcard, Abbas and I talk about what led to him betraying his politics and values to work at... Read more »

Over a year and 8 episodes later, Punchcard has proven itself as a valuable resource for sharing and learning within the worker co-op network – exploring everything from making decisions and workplace democracy, to overcoming financial difficulties, to rethinking traditional approaches to diversity & inclusion. The first season was funded internally by workers.coop, who unfortunately... Read more »

Alice McLarnon grew up in Belfast during the Troubles, surrounded by violence, segregation, and 60-foot peace walls. In 2006, she joined the worker cooperative Trademark and was immediately struck by how different it was from anywhere she’d worked before.  Coming from low paid work in a chip shop and other hierarchical workplaces, she was shocked... Read more »

In this episode of Punchcard, we speak with Taylor Le Melle, a founding member of not/nowhere, a BPOC worker cooperative that supports artists to navigate the structures and institutions of the UK art world, unpacking harmful myths and helping artists to recognise and use their power in the industry. As a BPOC cooperative which is... Read more »

In this episode of Punchcard, we speak with Ai Van Kok, formerly a financial analyst at Leeds Bread Co-op. She joined the co-op when the co-op’s cashflow was at a critical moment—it was just months away from being unable to pay its worker’s wages. Facing an urgent crisis, Ai Van turned to traditional business management... Read more »

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 »

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 »

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 »