VAG: A Need for Education

Since its beginning, the Vermont Asbestos Group (VAG), a worker-owned asbestos mine in northern Vermont, has been troubled by severe labor-management conflicts. The differences were so severe that the worker-shareholders turned over VAG's leadership to an entrepreneur from the local community....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Industrial relations (Berkeley) 1979-10, Vol.18 (3), p.364-369
Main Author: JOHANNESEN, JANETTE EADON
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Case studies
Corporate
Miners/Mining
Ownership
Participate/Participatory/ Participation/ Participative
Participatory management
Structure
Worker/Workers
Workers
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Since its beginning, the Vermont Asbestos Group (VAG), a worker-owned asbestos mine in northern Vermont, has been troubled by severe labor-management conflicts. The differences were so severe that the worker-shareholders turned over VAG's leadership to an entrepreneur from the local community. This particular case offers an opportunity to explore a few of the issues which influence the success of worker participation. Analysis of the situation indicates that there is a need for greater awareness on the part of both management and workers concerning each group's expectations of its own and the other's rights and role in the new relationship. Consideration should also be given to devising formal mechanisms to ensure worker involvement in the day-to-day operation of the firm and to the merits of including experienced personnel on the governing board. It is particularly critical that workers be educated so that they are capable of and comfortable with corporate ownership and control.
ISSN:0019-8676
1468-232X
DOI:10.1111/j.1468-232X.1997.tb00935.x