Digitalization has become a key issue of public debate as well as trade unionist discourse in recent years. The challenges facing workers and their trade unions that are introduced in the context of developments such as the “Industry 4.0” or the alleged rise of AI are multifold and far-reaching. Against this backdrop, the continued development of co-determination tools is a central task for trade unions who are tasked with maintaining and expanding the capacity for action of their members.

In our project, we investigate whether and how “visionary” design practices that originating in alternative innovation and technology regimes established in cooperative enterprises and employee-owned companies might be appropriated for economic co-determination in other economic settings, thereby transcending established forms of co-determination practices.

We will investigate what alternative design practices exist in these alternative enterprises but also what “best practices” of co-determination exist in German companies and how they might be informed and expanded by connecting them to practices of innovation in cooperatives. We will conduct interviews as well as case studies in enterprises as well as reflecting our research results in a series of workshops with trade unionists and shop-stewards. A publication synthesizing insights into possible strategies for action that might support a democratization of innovation on the job floor will document key lessons learned for stakeholders.

The project is part of the research cluster “Digital Transformation” of the Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, the leading German trade union foundation. The results from the first year of the project were presented at the final panel of the WSI-Herbstforum.

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