Stagnant wages, the rising cost of living expenses, and other factors have led to a shrinking middle class and growing income and wealth inequality in recent decades. Workers in employee-owned businesses, however, have often fared better than their peers on a range of measures related to economic well-being. 
In this conversation, speakers discuss the latest research on wealth inequality and the potential of employee ownership to help rebuild the middle class. It features opening remarks from Richard Freeman (Herbert Ascherman Chair in Economics, Harvard University), Doug Kruse (Distinguished Professor, School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University), and Fidan Kurtulus (Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst), followed by a panel discussion with Veronica Ortiz (Business Systems Analyst Manager, Worker-Owner, Web Industries), Stephen Smith (Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Amsted Industries Incorporated), Steve Storkan (Executive Director, Employee Ownership Expansion Network), Tomás Durán (President, Concerned Capital), and moderator Abha Bhattarai (Economics Correspondent, The Washington Post). For more information about this event — including video, audio, transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources — visit: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/rebuilding-the-middle-class-through-employee-ownership/
This discussion was held on June 15, 2023, as part of the Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, co-hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University. This two-day convening brought together leading policymakers, practitioners, experts, and the media for a robust discussion on how we can grow employee ownership for the shared benefit of American workers and businesses. Learn more: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/employee-ownership-ideas-forum/