ABC Big Ideas: Co-ops and the new economy

15 July 2016

In a time when disruptive technologies, online platforms and the sharing economy are all the rage – can the ideals of the co-operative or mutual be refashioned and reapplied for the new economy?

On 7 June in Melbourne, the BCCM in partnership with Social Enterprise Services Australia hosted a seminar to discuss how co-operatives can meet the needs of a growing class of freelance workers in the “gig economy”. International speakers experts in the topic, Janelle Orsi and Nathan Schneider, spoke about the concept of Platform Cooperativism, which originated in the US.

On 21 July, ABC’s Big Ideas will broadcast the seminar from 8.00pm. Make sure to tune in to hear how co-ops can help can transform the sharing economy.

Platform Cooperativism encompasses three core action areas. The first is the reappropriation of the technological tools that TaskRabbit and other for-profit sharing enterprises are built upon for a different, democratic ownership model. Second, platform cooperativism is “about solidarity”— a commitment to the collective over the individual. Finally, platform cooperativism maintains platform capitalism’s focus on innovation and efficiency, but again with the broader objective of contributing to the common good.

Media coverage from the event

Worker co-ops may be the solution to pitfalls of the sharing economy, SMH, 12 June
Start-up co-operatives take on the Uber economy, The Age, 7 June
The dark side of the sharing economy, ABC Life Matters, 7 June
Nathan Schneider interview, ABC Sydney 702, 10 June
Renegade Economists, 3CR, 8 June

Image source: ABC