The Maintenance 1A Plus Worker Co-op (1A+) was founded in 2007 by five immigrant workers in the cleaning sector. 1A+ offers services in cleaning offices and buildings and operates as a social enterprise.
The origin this new social enterprise was based on the fact that the immigrant workers have been repeatedly dissatisfied with the working conditions offered in the private sector. Some immigrant workers have been suffering from one or more of the following situations:
- The demand to work overtime beyond regular work hours in order to keep contracts;
- The denial of access to the employment insurance program;
- The refusal of companies to pay Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, thereby rendering employees ineligibles for these benefits;
- The unwillingness of employers to provide paid vacations;
- The lack of consideration regarding particular health concerns of workers;
- The lack of availability of health and dental insurance plans; and
- The prevalence of poor wages and unfair treatment meted out to workers.
In order to avoid these injustices, the primary objective of the founders is to create a work environment attractive to newcomers utilizing their past experiences. Consequently, the founders have developed a new approach of direct relationship with customers, in which contracts are made between clients and workers without an intermediary, based on the values of respect for the environment and commitment to fair work.
Based on the difficulties and hurdles experienced by its founders, 1A+ works in collaboration with external supporters to assist newcomers. Some newcomers have been negatively affected in their workforce because they lack strong language skills. In this case, external supporters have taught language skills and educated members on Canadian laws and workers rights. For example, explain about non-profit organisations like co-ops and teach business skills and educated to those members of the co-op in order to help with their economic integration process.
One significant challenge for 1A+ has been the translation of English and French into Spanish or vice-versa in order to facilitate communication between workers, funders and customers. Although learning a new language can be a long and difficult process for members, they are very dedicated to the Cooperative and give a lot of time toward the project.
As a result, 1A+ has been able to achieve many goals since its inception in 2007. The goal of the project’s first year was the process of getting incorporated. The second year’s aim was to write the by-laws for the Cooperative, including member fees, rules and the constitution of the social enterprise. By the end of the second year, the by-laws were adopted. The third year’s aim was to write an application for 1A+’s support to get the business plan ready to launch. They were successful in being a part of the Canadian CED Network’s Immigrant Settlement and Integration through Social Enterprise initiative (ISISE) which provided support for them to write a business plan that was independently assessed.
1A+ now has a good business plan and marketing tools readily available at its disposal. In May 2010, 1A+ celebrated his official launch. 1A+ has begun to sell the services of the cooperative and has since secured two small contracts in the cleaning sector. Unfortunately, these two contracts are not enough to support the cooperative’s five members to receive full-time wages. It is only enough for one part-time staff. Some members work for other cleaning organizations to receive full-time work, but their goal is to work full-time with 1A+ while it gets its feet off the ground.
The next challenge for 1A+ is to get more contracts to support all five members. The Co-op also requires more contracts to support its expansion so that new members may join the Cooperative and receive support during their economic integration process. Additional supports to further develop and document the settlement supports that 1A+ provides is included in the Canadian CED Network application to CIC- Ontario. 1A+ has also recently submitted a proposal to the Ontario Trillium Foundation and 1A plus has just received a grant “over one year to support the initial start-up and operating costs of [this] Ottawa-based workers' cooperative that would employ 10 immigrant workers in the janitorial sector. With the support of a full-time marketing and part-time office manager, the group will be able to establish a highly professional and environmentally friendly company that provides equitable working conditions to its member employees”: http://www.trilliumfoundation.org/cms/en/2010_2011_Champlain.aspx
