ESOP Silence "Deafening": ESOP Association

Data aggregated by the ESOP Association showed employee stock ownership ranges from a high of nearly 60% of computer services employees to a low of nearly 14% in agriculture/mining/construction. Percentages for durable manufacturing, wholesale, utilities, non-durable manufacturing came in at approximately 30%, 23%, 55%, and 30% respectively, the Association said in a news release. The data was collected from a series of questions on the most recent General Social Survey (GSS).

According to the announcement, the data also shows that among union employees, 27.6% are involved in employee ownership programs and that the median value of the employees’ employer stock ownership is over one-fifth of annual pay.

The data also showed that more than eight of 10 investors who own company stock are more or less satisfied with their financial situation and another 78.9% of individuals strongly agree or agree that they have a good chance of improving their standard of living.

“This survey is just more evidence that our national leaders, including our presidential candidates, need to address the issue of employee ownership and its importance to millions of Americans,” said Association President, J. Michael Keeling.   “The silence about employee ownership is deafening in the national debate.   When a national survey of this magnitude illustrates just how important employee ownership is, I’d say it’s time for our leaders to take a bull horn to discuss employee ownership.”

More information about the ESOP group is at  http://www.esopassociation.org/ .