Cooperation Texas

About Us

Founded in October 2009 in response to growing economic inequality, Cooperation Texas is an Austin-based non-profit committed to the creation of sustainable jobs through the development, support and promotion of worker-owned cooperatives. We believe everyone deserves equal access to dignified employment, which is why we place those most directly affected by social and economic inequality at the center of our work. Cooperation Texas is the only worker cooperative development center in Texas. We provide education, training and technical assistance to existing and start-up worker cooperatives in all sectors of the economy, helping launch and strengthen Texas businesses that put people and the planet first. Read More

Dispatches From The Cooperative Economy

Celebrate the Launch of Dahlia Green Cleaning Services!

May 10th, 2012

The women behind Dahlia Green Cleaning Services will celebrate the completion of Cooperation Texas’ start-up course through the Cooperative Business Institute (CBI) in a graduation ceremony and launch party:

When: Friday, June 1st, 7-10pm

Where: 5604 Manor Rd.

Dahlia, which grew out of a collaboration between Cooperation Texas and the Workers Defense Project (WDP), will be the first worker-owned green cleaning cooperative in Texas. In the CBI course, Eva Marroquin, Cyndi Jimenez, Maria Munoz, Lorena Hernandez and Brenda Jimenez learned the history, principles and values of worker cooperatives, along with the legal, organizational and business essentials needed to effectively manage their co-op. Now, after months of shaping every detail of their cooperative, these five incredible women are ready to create a new model for the cleaning industry in Austin that puts people and the planet first!

The ceremony, which will mark both the end of the training and the launch of the new cooperative, will also feature craft beer from Black Star Co-op, donuts from Red Rabbit Cooperative Bakery and music from WDP’s resident DJ, Brayan Antonio Castro. To RSVP on Facebook, CLICK HERE.

Cooperation Texas Welcomes Cathy Ruiz of Red Rabbit Cooperative Bakery to the Board of Directors

April 23rd, 2012

Cooperation Texas is proud to welcome the newest addition to our Board of Directors: Cathy Ruiz! Cathy is a graduate of the Cooperative Business Institute (CBI) start-up course. Her introduction to worker-owned cooperatives came while watching Michael Moore’s documentary Capitalism: A Love Story, which inspired Cathy to realize a long held vision to operate her own vegan bakery business. Following a year of planning and completion of the CBI course, the dream became reality and Red Rabbit Cooperative Bakery began production in May 2011.

Cathy’s prior experience includes certification from the University of Texas’ Legal Assistant Program and five years of legal experience. Cathy also earned a Pastry Arts Diploma from the Culinary Academy of Austin and spent four years working in various pastry production roles at a large-scale commercial bakery, gaining production experience in preparation for starting her own business. Prior to moving to Texas in 1998, Cathy earned a Bachelors degree in Sociology at Essex University, UK. She now lives in Austin with her husband, 3 cats and a dog.

Texas’ First Worker-Owned Green Cleaning Cooperative Prepares for Launch

April 10th, 2012

Maria Munoz, a mother of three, will be one of the future members of the co-op.

Last year, we established a partnership with Workers Defense Project, a membership-based organization of Latino/a workers, to form a worker-owned green cleaning cooperative with its members. Since then, we have worked with five dedicated women to break free from the abuses in the cleaning industry and begin building a new model that puts people and the planet first.

After months of shaping every detail of their cooperative, Maria Muñoz, Cyndi Jimenez, Eva Marroquin, Brenda Jimenez and Lorena Hernandez will soon be the proud owners of the first worker-owned green cleaning cooperative in Texas! Is your house looking messy? Are you struggling to find time to clean up? Soon, these amazing women will take care of that mess for you! Sign up for our mailing list today to get the latest information about the date to celebrate their graduation from the Cooperative Business Institute and the public launch of their co-op!

How Worker Cooperatives Work by Joe Marraffino

April 6th, 2012

Putting Principle 6 into Practice

March 26th, 2012

Thanks to all the members and workers of Black Star Co-op!

Throughout the week of March 19-25th, Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery generously donated $1 for every pint of High Esteem sold to Cooperation Texas, contributing to the development, support and promotion of dignified jobs in Texas through worker-owned cooperatives. Last year, the membership of Black Star voted to support Cooperation Texas (along with 3 other community-based organizations), putting one of the core principles that unite all cooperatives into practice: Cooperation Among Cooperatives.

In the past year alone, cooperation among cooperatives, the 6th of 7 cooperative principles, has taken on new meaning in Austin, TX. Since graduating from our start-up course through the Cooperative Business Institute, Red Rabbit Cooperative Bakery has become the exclusive bread provider of Black Star and their delicious vegan donuts have become one of the more popular items in Wheatesville Food Co-op’s pastry case. Red Rabbit’s adorable logo was designed by Tribe Creative Agency (now Graphic Granola), a worker-owned graphic design co-op. As for Cooperation Texas, members of Graphic Granola designed our logo and website, which is hosted by GAIA Host Collective, a worker-owned internet hosting cooperative. We are also a member of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives and the recently formed Austin Cooperative Think Tank (ACTT), a local organization that has played a key role in uniting cooperatives across sectors in Austin, bringing together members of housing co-ops, credit unions, worker co-ops, consumer co-ops and worker co-op developers under one roof to help create a more robust cooperative economy in Austin. Read the rest of this entry »