WAGES (Women's Action to Gain Economic Security) Overview
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Phone: (510) 451-3100
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Target demographics: Since 1998, WAGES has focused on creating jobs for Latina immigrant women, who become members of housecleaning cooperatives that use environmentally friendly cleaning techniques to protect worker health and the environment, while building stable, lucrative businesses.
Geographic areas served: San Francisco Bay Area
Mission:
WAGES’ mission is to build worker-owned green businesses that create healthy, dignified jobs for low-income women. In our cooperatives, women gain good jobs, develop new skills, become leaders in their communities, and increase their economic security.
Results:
Over the past decade, WAGES has built four successful green housecleaning cooperatives serving the Bay Area that have given hundreds of women the opportunity to become financially secure, gain business skills, and lead healthier, fuller lives.
Overall, co-op members earn 50-100% more than they would make working for a conventional cleaning company, and on average, their household incomes have increased by more than 50% since joining a WAGES affiliated co-op. Most have health and dental insurance, along with other benefits through the co-op, and members build assets through their retained earnings held within the business. The co-ops also prevent the release of thousands of pounds of harmful chemicals into our air and water each year.
The two largest co-ops average 30 members each and 1 million in annual sales.
Overall, co-op members earn 50-100% more than they would make working for a conventional cleaning company, and on average, their household incomes have increased by more than 50% since joining a WAGES affiliated co-op. Most have health and dental insurance, along with other benefits through the co-op, and members build assets through their retained earnings held within the business. The co-ops also prevent the release of thousands of pounds of harmful chemicals into our air and water each year.
The two largest co-ops average 30 members each and 1 million in annual sales.
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Ceil Scandone
04/16/09
WAGES is an absolutely amazing organization doing very important "green jobs" work. They provide low-income women the training and support they need to form and operate successful worker-owned, environmentally-responsible cleaning cooperatives. WAGES clients are empowered to control their own ...
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Sandra
04/15/09
WAGES helps low income women improve their lives and their livelihood, through green jobs. WAGES seeds cooperative businesses in which women are worker owners, get benefits, make a decent salary, and protect the environment -and their health! by using eco-friendly cleaning products. I understand ...
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