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Comment by BarryMilo | Hacker News Reader

I've been part of a few (Canadian) cooperatives. The incentive structure is completely different, it's akin to admitting you prefer great working conditions than having a chance to chance it rich. If a company is startup-sized, anything else is a sucker's bet.

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If I didn't like my working conditions, I would look for a different job.

Of course, but being in such a choice position is already being very privileged if we take things at their global level.

Sometimes the bad jobs are crowding out the good. Like gig work crowding out traditional full-time positions with benefits, as companies prefer cheaper, on-demand labor. Slave labor needs to be outlawed at the society level, not at the individual level "why dont you just find another job".

gig work is not slave labour - slaves had no choice.

gig work is popular because the people doing it are finding that it is the best of all alternatives available to them.

"slaves had no choice"... Um, do you think most people can choose not to work?

Gig work is "popular" because wealth-driven systemic pressure is replacing FTE with gig jobs in order to fatten the bottom line.

> do you think most people can choose not to work?

they have the choice - because they have agency. Slavery is literally taking that agency away. Having agency doesn't mean being immune to the consequences.

The consequences of a slave "choosing" to not work is punishment and death.

The consequences of a gig worker choosing not to work is to claim basic benefits (but hardly will die). It's uncomfortable, and i will bet most people will choose to work, but it doesn't mean someone is forcing them.

Look at the rest of his comments. Can't reason with him, so just move on.

>I would look for a different job.

I know some experienced, socially adept, smart, etc. friends who have been doing this exact thing for about 8 months now.

How is that not the same in a coop? If they don't like the conditions they'd still have to leave the job and find a new one.

In a coop everybody's job is to always be looking for a job (for the coop)?

Not sure what you're talking about, I was replying to a refutation of the following quote by the grand parent commenter:

> If I didn't like my working conditions, I would look for a different job.

because all your friends are 10s

What's your point? That my friends aren't the literal best in the world in their field of study? Of course they aren't. If that was a job requirement, there would be like 20 job openings world-wide.

What an odd comment.

This "take it or leave it" problem seems to be exactly what a cooperative seeks to solve.

What was the incentive structure, and how was your experience overall (esp. comparing to traditional companies if you’ve worked at those)?

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