Local Voices: Community Wealth and Employee Ownership

Writing on the website of his local paper, the Lancaster Online (Pennsylvania), Craig Dalen of the company Assets notes that businesses in his community are working hard to attract and retain good workers, and that people in the community are worried about the small town's high poverty rate of 29%.

Drawing on research by the NCEO finding that employee-owners have dramatically higher net household wealth (see www.OwnershipEconomy.org), he proposes that employee ownership be used. He quotes Chip Cargas, chairman and CEO of Cargas Systems, who says, "Direct employee ownership helps us attract and engage talented and caring employees. That, in turn, helps us grow sustainably, add rewarding local jobs and share increasing success with our employees, customers, owners, partners and community."