1PIE Global Collaboration Portal

WAGES is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to build worker-owned green businesses that create healthy, dignified jobs for low-income women.

With WAGES' assistance, women are empowered and move out of poverty. We make use of the cooperative model to allow women to pool their skills and work together to succeed. A cooperative is a business owned and controlled by those who work in it. Members make decisions democratically by giving each person a vote and distributing income equitably to all workers.

Background:

WAGES operated from 1995-2000 in Mountain View, and then expanded to Oakland and Redwood City in early 2001. Our co-founders began their cooperative development work by assisting Heaven Sent Housecleaning Cooperative in East Palo Alto to become a self-sustaining and independent business. Based on their success, they formed WAGES to help other women gain economic security through cooperation.

Between 1995 and 1997, WAGES assisted women in identifying feasible business opportunities and starting an environmentally sound housecleaning business and a retail party supply store. In 1998 we began replicating eco-friendly cleaning cooperatives within the Silicon Valley. In 2000 we expanded our replication efforts throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and today three co-ops are thriving:

• Emma's Eco-Clean:
Emma’s opened in Redwood City with five owners in 1999. The coop grew rapidly and has operated independently of WAGES since 2002. Emma's 22 members earn a decent income, plus three weeks paid vacation and health and dental insurance.

• Eco-Care Professional Housecleaning: 
Eco-Care opened in Morgan Hill with nine owners in 2001. In 2003, the co-op began expanding in San Jose and has since grown to include 17 members. Eco-Care graduated from WAGES' program in April 2004 and now operates independently.

• Natural Home Cleaning Professionals:
NHC opened in September 2003 with 8 members. With sales growing rapidly, the membership has grown to 27 worker-owners, and the business now provides health insurance for its members.

Program:

Prior to start-up and during the first years of business operations, WAGES provides intensive support for each new co-op we create. This support is strategically targeted to make the business self-sufficient after the start-up years, and is divided into four areas:

• Technical Assistance: WAGES helps each cooperative develop business plans, access start-up loans, accounting services, legal assistance, benefits packages and identify cost-saving opportunities.

• Education: WAGES provides on-going, high quality cooperative business and cleaning training. Our business training program includes group-building activities to promote trust, encourage positive communication, democratic decision-making and conflict resolution. The training also addresses financial literacy and management, quality control, marketing, and customer satisfaction. Our cleaning training includes how to use environmentally safe products and tools, practice cleaning in demonstration homes, and introduction to the environmental and health benefits of using evironmentally-friendly products.

• Management Services: Each cooperative contracts with WAGES for a professional manager. The manager is resposible for business administration, teaches individual members business skills, and coordinates business growth.

• Governance Training: WAGES provides training and expertise to help co-ops develop strong boards of directors that can provide oversight for the business and leadership opportunities for the members.