ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that workers in co-operatives did not experience as many barriers to dispute resolution as did comparable employees in conventional businesses within the same industries. The employees of the conventional businesses experienced multiple barriers to resolving disputes, similar to those documented by past studies of hierarchical businesses. Co-op Cab and Organix had new-member orientations, and Organix had a mentor program for new members. Co-op Cab most actively tried to teach new members the company's grievance culture: that bringing grievances was their right, and possibly even their duty. Members of Organix Co-op also described both formal and informal dispute resolution strategies. Coal miners were some of the least likely to mention toleration strategies. Unlike the workers at the other conventionally owned businesses, the employees at Valley Colliery seldom mentioned toleration. In the taxicab industry, employees at the conventional company most often anticipated resolving disputes informally, and even then, could only occasionally engage in dispute resolution at all.
