FEDERATION FOR MANUFACTURING PODCAST Episode: “Attaining Economic Democracy In The 21st Century” Host: Drew “The MFG” Crowe, Leader of The New American Manufacturing Renaissance Guests: Frank Cetera (Democracy for Workers Institute), Dan Swinney (Founder, Manufacturing Renaissance) & Martin Van Den Borre (Canadian Worker Co-Op Federation) **Episode Length:** 45 minutes **Format:** In-depth conversation with substantive analysis

What would the economy look like if the people who do the work also owned the businesses? In this episode, we dive into the growing movement for economic democracy and the role of employee-owned businesses in building more resilient, equitable local economies.

We’re joined by Frank Cetera of the Democracy at Work Institute, a leading voice in the employee ownership ecosystem. Frank brings deep experience supporting worker cooperatives, ESOPs, and other shared-ownership models across the country. Together, we explore how employee ownership works in practice, why it’s gaining traction in manufacturing and beyond, and how it can strengthen communities while creating quality jobs.

The conversation covers:

• What economic democracy really means.

• Different models of employee ownership and how they function day to day

• The impact of worker ownership on wages, job stability, and business longevity

• Barriers to scaling employee-owned enterprises and what policy, finance, and technical support can do to help

• Why this moment presents a unique opportunity to expand employee ownership as part of a broader economic transformation

Whether you’re a business owner, worker, policymaker, or simply curious about alternatives to the status quo, this episode offers a grounded, practical look at how democratic ownership can reshape our economy from the ground up.

**Drew “The MFG” Crowe** Email: [email protected] Phone: 314-246-0033 Website: www.drewcrowemfg.com

A manufacturing policy podcast brought to you by members of the Federation for a Manufacturing Renaissance (FMR).

Visit our website at: https://manufacturingfederation.org/

Substack: https://substack.com/@manufacturingfederation

This discussion was recorded on January 26, 2026. Hosted by Drew ‘THE MFG’ Crowe and produced by Michael P. Moriarty. Music written and recorded by Michael P. Moriarty.