Worker-Owned Cooperatives
We often find our customers curious about what exactly a worker-owned cooperative is. We thought it would be nice to let everyone know exactly what a cooperative is and how they benefit their workers and the community.
What is a Worker-Owned Cooperative?
Arizmendi San Rafael, and all members of the Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives, are worker-owned cooperatives: independently owned, democratically run, and staffed by their workers. When hired at Arizmendi San Rafael, each worker begins a six-month candidacy period, at the end of which they might become a voting member of the cooperative.
Each member of Arizmendi San Rafael works production baking shifts, mixing, shaping, and baking our tasty goods, as well as serving on committees that make our financial, marketing, hiring, production, and all other business decisions. We hold committee meetings to make those decisions, as well as monthly all-staff meetings to make larger-scale decisions using a specific consensus model and voting.
Our bakers come to our co-op with many varied life experiences, as well as with many different skills. Some come in as expertly talented bakers or chefs, and some come in never having baked professionally. Some come in with experience in marketing departments, finance, or other with other business experience, or wanting the experience of working in a cooperative. The structure of the cooperative means that everyone has an opportunity to learn new skills as well as highlight the skills they come in with. We work together to fulfill our mission statement of shaping a culture that values economic justice, physical labor, joy, and cooperation while simultaneously producing quality, affordable, locally sourced goods.
From A Member
We asked members to share their experience of being part of a worker-owned cooperative. Here are some insights directly from members:
What does it mean to you to work at a worker-owned cooperative?
It means not having a boss that doesn't experience working at the business who makes rules and plans that don't account for the reality of the work I have to do. I have worked so many places with a boss who could tell me to do work that they would never do themselves and that can wear on you.
What made you want to work at a cooperative?
To be honest I didn't want to work at a cooperative, I think you either end up here because you're into production baking and are willing to do the work to be part of a cooperative or because you are into cooperatives and you're willing to do the work to be part of production baking. I wanted to do this level of production baking and I have skills to contribute to a cooperative but I was worried coming in what that would look like on a daily basis. On some days it's great, on some days it is not.
How do we practice workplace democracy at Arizmendi?
We establish rules, and if we don't like them we re-establish them. If someone proposes a new policy we all try to be open to it, but if it's not a good fit we're not forced to continue that policy, any one of us, even a candidate, can bring forth a vote to change a policy at any time
History of Arizmendi Bakery
Arizmendi San Rafael was opened in 2010 and we have been happily serving Marin since. As a proud member of the Arizmendi Collective, we strive to further the collective’s principles of worker democracy while delivering fresh and tasty products to our community. How did we get started? It began with Arizmendi Lakeshore in Oakland, founded in 1997, based on the Berkeley Cheese Board’s worker-ownership and production model. The Cheese Board offered their support with recipes and knowledge. Arizmendi Lakeshore quickly became popular for its artisan bread and pastries and its commitment to using organic and locally sourced ingredients. In 2000, the bakery's owners decided to open a second location, and they established a cooperative structure to share ownership and decision-making among all of the workers. Today, the Arizmendi Collective includes six bakeries throughout the Bay Area, all of which operate as worker-owned cooperatives.
José María Arizmendiarrieta
The Arizmendi bakeries are named after José María Arizmendiarrieta, a Spanish priest and social activist who helped found the Mondragón Cooperative Corporation in Spain. Mondragón is one of the world's largest worker-owned cooperatives, with over 80,000 employees and a presence in more than 80 countries. Arizmendiarrieta believed that cooperatives were a way to empower workers and give them greater control over their lives and work. He saw cooperatives as a means to promote economic democracy and social justice, and as a way to build a more sustainable and equitable society. His vision was rooted in the principles of solidarity, mutual aid, and collective ownership.
Under Arizmendiarrieta's leadership, the Mondragón Cooperative Corporation developed a unique model of worker ownership and participation, in which employees are also owners of the company and have a say in its management and decision-making processes. This model has been highly successful, not only in terms of economic growth and profitability, but also in terms of promoting social cohesion and creating a sense of community among the workers. In honor of all he did to further the cause of worker-owned cooperatives and the principles he embodied, the six Arizmendi bakeries all carry his name.
Cooperative Resources
Are you looking to plug into the worker-owned cooperative space, or support your local worker-owned cooperative? Check out these resources:
Network of Bay Area Cooperatives (Arizmendi San Rafael is a member!)
US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (Arizmendi San Rafael is a member!)
CA Employee Ownership Act - Check it out!