What conflict resolution mechanisms do democratic worker cooperatives gener
ate and to what extent could these mechanisms be called democratic? This ca
se study tries to address these questions by examining both conflict and co
nflict resolution in a democratic organization, a 66-year-old taxi cooperat
ive. The conflicts presented stem from three main sources: ethnic origin, l
ocal division of labor, and "class" affiliation. These conflicts are resolv
ed through different processes, ranging from a joke-telling ritual to a for
mal tribunal composed of elected judges. Discussion centers on unique aspec
ts of conflict resolution in a democratic worker cooperative and their impl
ications for studies of conflict resolution in nondemocratic firms.