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It's true that many people use the terms "co-op" and "collective"
interchangeably, but there are some distinctions. A collective is
a business that operates exclusively or almost exclusively through
direct democracy (i.e. "flat structure," "no hierarchy")
whereas "cooperative" is a term that encompasses collectives
as well as member-owned and operated businesses that use representative
democracy and/or managers. It could be said that Rainbow is a cooperative
made up of collectives (our individual departments). Unlike 'Consumer'
Co-ops we are not owned by our shoppers, but by our workers.
Many people ask us, "How can I join your co-op?" The only way to
join is to become a worker/owner. If you are interested in working
here and becoming a member, feel free to check out our Job
Application.
Although Rainbow has always operated cooperatively, we only incorporated
as a cooperative in 1993. California didn't have a corporate statute for
worker cooperatives when Rainbow was founded in 1975.
In many ways Rainbow runs as if it were a union between several smaller
individual cooperatives: our departments. Membership in the department in
which you work is essential for Membership in the store and most day-to-day
decisions such as hiring, scheduling, buying are made at a department level.
We have 14 departments, some represent sales categories such as Produce,
Bulk, Cheese, Bakery and Refrigerated. Others are support departments such
as Cashiers, Maintenance and the Office.
Legal and financial decisions are made by our Board of Directors, which
is elected annually from the Membership. Anyone who is a Corporate Member
is eligible to run for the Board of Directors. Unlike traditional corporations
where the Board of Directors is a powerful body of individuals who may be
out of touch with the bottom rungs of the hierarchy, our Board
Members can be the same people who stock shelves, clean the floors and work
the registers. Our seven-member Board handles requests for large financial
expenditures, reviews the department income statements and deals with outside
contracts and legal issues. The Board also has the power to create policies
for the store, some of which must be ratified by the Membership at large.
Another elected body, the Storewide Steering Committee, coordinates and
deals with matters that cannot be handled successfully by a single department.
The seven-member body meets weekly to deal with departmental conflicts,
questions about floor-policy, and other day-to-day issues.
The most important decision-making body of all is the Membership. Simply
stated, anyone who is a member/owner can make decisions at our monthly Membership
meetings. Certain types of policies that affect wages and benefits, major
changes in store operations, and a few other issues must be voted on by
the Membership. We have guidelines for the way proposals for policies must
be drawn up and explained. But at a meeting that can have anywhere from
30 to 80 or more people, it's important for the meetings to run smoothly.
We expect anyone who works at Rainbow to become a member. However, it can
be a rigorous process. We require that workers complete a set amount of
hours as well as attend a number of financial, historical, safety and customer
service orientations. Workers must also attend meetings of decision-making
bodies and pass a test in order to complete their membership requirements.
Once you've jumped through all these hoops, bought your first share (a mere
$10!) you're a Member. You can now run for committees, vote at Membership
Meetings and share in the financial surplus after taxes are paid. Despite
the rigorous process, most workers become members during their first year.
The majority of work is done here in what some call self-managed work teams:
groups of people who agree to work together on a project or ongoing responsibility.
Some duties that are not taken care of by hired positions are taken care
of by other elected committees. Annually, we elect new members to our PR,
Donations, Grants, Ecology, Security and Effective Meetings Committees.
These groups redefine their goals each year and request a budget from the
Board. Throughout the year they take care of various responsibilities and
meet with the Board from time to time to report on their progress.
And sometimes we have random responsibilities that are taken care of on
a volunteer basis. Most of our work is done here with the attitude that
you take on extra tasks outside of your job description, because you want
to, not because there are supervisors to make you.
The essence of what is so rewarding about working at Rainbow is that each
member has a voice in the way we operate. We may not always agree on how
to solve a problem, but everyone has the chance to formulate policies, create
committees, propose new ideas or effect change. We are a constantly changing
organization and are always learning new ways to do things.
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