THE RELATIONSHIP OF EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION TO WORKPLACESAFETY

This article investigates whether enterprises with high levels of work er control are safer places to work in than matched conventional firms in the same industry. The results, based on comparisons of self-repor ts from 1285 workers in four different kinds of enterprises in the woo d products industry (producer coops, ESOPs, union and non-union), are disappointing for advocates of employee ownership. The coops and the E SOPs either did no better than the conventional enterprises on various safety indicators or actually had worse safety performances. Reasons for these results are discussed, particularly in the context of the pr ecarious economic conditions these employee-owned arms find themselves in. We conclude that employee ownership of vulnerable enterprises may be hazardous for worker morale and worker safety.