Is there really a “worker shortage,” or are frontline workers just tired of risking their lives for substandard pay, protections, and benefits?

By Jaisal Noor, The Real News Network

(Editor's note: This story originally was published May 26, 2021, as part of a special report by The Real News Network. It is being republished by Elevate Dayton with permission.)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, worker co-ops demonstrated that it’s possible to run a successful business while still prioritizing the safety and input of workers over profits.

In a special report, Jaisal Noor of The Real News Network talks to worker-owners at 8 co-ops across 4 states about how they were able to successfully weather the pandemic while prioritizing the needs of their workers, and how they navigated the unique limitations of the cooperative business model. In the words of Kimberly Britt, a worker-owner at ChiFresh Kitchen, “We work at and own this company, and we designed it to work for us, what would make it not feel like a job.”

This story has been supported by the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems. Check out complete coverage from The Real News’ Jaisal Noor of how worker cooperatives rose to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COMING TUESDAY: How collaboration is helping Dayton's entrepreneurs build resilience

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

• Chad Crouch, “Little Brown Bird”
• Chad Crouch, “Complex Structure”
• Chad Crouch, “Backwater”
• Chad Crouch, “Blue Heron”
• Chad Crouch, “House Finch”