2.34 Expected Outcomes
MAYA ORGANIC has designed the structure of worker-owned collectives and all learning processes with particular outcomes for the working poor in mind. These outcomes are applicable at multiple levels: at the level of individual workers, at the level of group enterprises, and at the sector level.
Movement towards action
A key outcome is to enable workers to first understand, identify, and articulate problems, and then to be capable of finding and carrying out solutions. By achieving this outcome, workers move from being followers of decisions made by others, to being active decision-makers. In order to do this, both at the individual and collective levels, the workers need to develop the capabilities for articulation of problems and goals (including identifying, analysing, reflecting, and planning for change), and then to enact successfully their plans for change. As members and groups move towards action, they can improve their relationships with others, either to assert themselves more forcefully, and/or to be increasingly sensitive to the needs of others. At the collective level, groups can exert influence in their working relationships with clients to ensure greater success in the market. At the sector level, MO hopes that collectives will learn to create lasting change that will benefit themselves and others in the sector. At any level, the process of shifting from dependence to problem-solving and decision-making happens only in stages. With each stage, the members and the group refine their skills toward autonomous, self-directed action.
Social Compliance
A bottom-up approach to social compliance for workers is an important outcome of the MAYA ORGANIC programme. Globally, the thrust of protecting vulnerable workers has centered on creating and enforcing standards for working conditions. MAYA ORGANIC believes that though well intentioned, compliance codes introduced by international buyers for ensuring decent working conditions are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to adhere to when it comes to outsourcing practices. Therefore, such externally imposed codes of conduct and social standards often become tokenistic and serve to please only international clients. By contrast, the entire MAYA ORGANIC intervention is designed as a ‘bottom up’ approach toward social compliance that truly reflects the needs of worker-owners. While there are some non-negotiable standards to which all workers must agree when they become collective members (for example workers' children must be enrolled in school rather than working), social compliance is also an outcome of the intervention, since worker-owners learn to take ownership of their own working (and life) conditions over time. With an increased level of comprehension of the workplace and income security, workers can start to care for themselves increasingly well at the workplace. Through taking ownership of all aspects of the work environment, members learn to create rules and structures that improve their own safety, security, and well-being. Each collective sets its own goals for continuous improvement in each of these areas. In practice, workers’ goals extend far beyond minimum wages or other minimum levels of protection under labour law, such as the availability of basic facilities (water, toilets, ventilation, light, etc). To be sure, each collective meets and exceeds these standards, but the collectives further incorporate norms such as regular assessments, skill development, and quality improvement. Norms are also established to ensure personal savings, financial contributions to the group, contributions to social security, and reinvestment of a percentage of profit in the collectives. Goals also move beyond the workplace, towards the family and community.
