In corporations, shareholders hand down decisions from above. People who work at the corporation do not have a say in what decisions are made. If the decisions negatively affect the workers, the workers have no way to make things better for themselves unless they're in a union.

In a co-operative, workers vote on decisions that affect them directly. People who work at the co-op have an intimate say in what decisions are made. If the decisions negatively affect the workers, they are able to have their voices heard, and make positive changes.