undefined | Better HN

0 pointsWalterBright11mo ago0 comments

The labor class is free to form collectives and cooperatives. There's no law against it.

Bezos started Amazon with $300,000. I'm sure it wouldn't take too long for workers to raise that kind of money, after all, $300,000 to buy a house is considered cheap.

On the other hand, the history of businesses being confiscated and handed over to the workers has not been a successful one.

0 comments

whatshisface11mo ago

But startups are worker-owned, insofar as the founders are able to profit from it.

WalterBrightOP11mo ago

Some startups are worker-owned through stock grants, but those grants are rarely evenly distributed. The founders hold the majority as long as they can.

It is a good practice for companies to include stock as part of the pay package. It encourages alignment of the company with the employees. Very, very successful companies follow this model, such as Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, etc.

whatshisface11mo ago

It seems to indicate that if Amazon was employee-owned today, the first thing they would vote to do is convert future hires into non-owners, because that's what the founders did when it was actually employee-owned.

KerrAvon11mo ago

Not entirely sure what you're saying here. Amazon still provides stock to employees as part of the comp package, AFAIK.

1 more reply

mm26311mo ago

$600,000 after inflation

azemetre11mo ago

The labor class should also advocate for workplace democracy to fight back.

Workers should be able to vote for their bosses.

Democratic societies are good for human flourishing. The only way to flourish is to have a thriving middle class.

Workplace democracy would be a boon for labor.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

whatshisface11mo ago

But startups are worker-owned, insofar as the founders are able to profit from it.

WalterBrightOP11mo ago

Some startups are worker-owned through stock grants, but those grants are rarely evenly distributed. The founders hold the majority as long as they can.

whatshisface11mo ago

KerrAvon11mo ago

Not entirely sure what you're saying here. Amazon still provides stock to employees as part of the comp package, AFAIK.

1 more reply

mm26311mo ago

$600,000 after inflation

azemetre11mo ago

The labor class should also advocate for workplace democracy to fight back.

Workers should be able to vote for their bosses.

Democratic societies are good for human flourishing. The only way to flourish is to have a thriving middle class.

Workplace democracy would be a boon for labor.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse