New Era Windows
New Era Windows
Beyond Service Industry
Worker cooperatives can be found in almost any sector of the economy. We have many examples here in the service industries, but also manufacturing and transportation.
Example: New Era Windows
Worker cooperatives can be found in just about every industry sector (except military). One example for the manufacturing industry is New Era Windows in Chicago. New Era is also a conversion but with a very unique “takeover” story: In 2008 the company’s shady boss suddenly closed down Republic Windows, as it was called then, only to reopen a new plant with an unorganized workforce. The terminated workers who knew the business had been profitable did not leave but occupied the building. (Segment on the New Era strike and occupation of the workplace in Michael Moore’s from his film: “Capitalsm: A Love Story”
The business was soon bought by another company which also failed leaving the workers to recognize that they needed to take it over and turn it in a worker cooperative and run it themselves. After overcoming many hurdles, especially in financing the buyout, New Era Windows was founded with the help of The Working World and the United Electrical Workers Union.