How many people will the Company employ?
Workers Diner intends to employ 22 individuals, with a margin of 3 individuals.

How many of the full-time employees will also be worker-owners?
All full-time and part-time employees must become worker-owners after a one-year probationary period.

How does a new worker-owner purchase an equity investment in the business?
New worker-owners will be awarded a single common stock in the Company, no par value. Each new worker-owner will be issued $5,000 of preferred stock dividends, for each of their first four years of employment. The probationary year will count retroactively as the first year. Purchase of additional stock is optional, and subject to the determination of sale by the Board of Directors.

How is the price of an equity investment determined?
The price of preferred shares is fixed.

How are new worker-owners educated about worker ownership and any additional responsibilities they might have as a result of becoming a worker-owner?
Candidate, probationary, and new worker-owners will receive worker ownership training in conjunction with the Green Worker Cooperatives Cooperative Academy.

Do the worker-owners receive dividends? If so, how does that process work?
After the above-mentioned equity target of $20,000 is reached for each new worker-owner, each worker-owner is then entitled to a percentage of the business's end-of-year earnings.

What mechanisms does the business have in place to ensure the long-term operation of the business as a worker-owned entity?
Workers Development will be available, on a fee basis, to assist in the furtherance of Workers Diner as a worker-owned entity. Additionally, a corporate by-law exists to check the sale and/or merger of the enterprise. In the case that worker-owners agree to the sale of the Company, a vote is put to all preferred shareholders (including outside investors) on the sale and/or merger of the Company.

What is the business’s decision-making structure?
Workers Diner will implement a system of representative decision-making. A democratic selection of five Directors will occur annually. The Board of Directors is responsible to meet quarterly, so as to discuss policy-level issues affecting the Company. The Board is also responsible for the evaluation of the General Manager and Manager; and all “hiring and firing” of staff. The Board of Directors will operate on a consensus basis, except in the case of “hiring and firing,” wherein a majority vote is sufficient.

What community is served by the business?
Workers Diner will be situated in Central Brooklyn, New York. One of the poorest neighborhoods in New York, Central Brooklyn is home to a population of African-Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Jewish-Americans. Although these communities have separate histories in connection with cooperation which extend across centuries and continents, the U.S. worker cooperative movement is, of recent, making additional efforts to include immigrant and minority communities. Examples in New York City include Green Worker Cooperatives, the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park and its associated worker cooperatives, and Third Root Community Health Center. Workers Diner intends to contribute to these efforts.

What membership organizations does the business belong to?
Workers Diner is a member of the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives and the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund, and the NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives.