Precarious Work, Intersectionality, and Worker Cooperatives: Rethinking Work and Life Balance

Introduction and Purpose
Precarious workers—those in low-wage, unstable, and insecure jobs with little or no access to benefits, legal protections, or bargaining power—face significant barriers to achieving work-life balance (WLB). These roles often include part-time, temporary, gig, or informal employment that shifts economic risk onto workers and offers few structural supports. Despite the growing number of precarious workers globally, WLB research remains centered on workers in formal, stable jobs, primarily in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies. This study addresses that gap by examining how precarious workers—specifically Hispanic immigrant women in worker cooperatives in New York City—navigate WLB and how institutional and collective structures support their efforts. Drawing on grounded theory, we develop the Intersectional Work-Life Ecosystem (IWLE) framework, which emphasizes how intersecting identities and structural supports shape precarious workers’ WLB needs and solutions.

Methods
This grounded theory study is based on in-depth interviews with 25 Hispanic immigrant women working in domestic service co-ops affiliated with the New York City Network of Worker Cooperatives (NYC NOWC). Participants were recruited through NYC NOWC and interviewed via Zoom or phone. Interviews were conducted in English or Spanish, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using line-by-line open coding, focused coding, and theoretical coding in ATLAS.ti. The research team used memo writing and iterative team discussions to ensure analytical rigor.

Results
Participants redefined WLB to mean job stability, income sufficiency, and respect in the workplace—foundational needs they lacked in prior informal or exploitative jobs. Worker co-ops addressed these needs by formalizing employment, allowing for flexible scheduling through democratic governance, and cultivating a culture of mutual care and camaraderie. Participants also gained access to skill-building, technology, and English-language training through co-ops and partner NGOs. Many took on leadership roles within co-ops that aligned with their prior professional experience. Though not all co-ops provided sufficient income, most participants reported improved wages and access to internal savings, emergency loans, and peer support. Importantly, an ecosystem of support—including NYC NOWC, labor unions, hybrid organizations, and local NGO networks—enhanced their ability to balance work and life in the absence of state-provided benefits.

Conclusions and Implications
Findings reveal that WLB is not solely an individual endeavor but a co-produced outcome shaped by intersectional identities and institutional support. Worker co-ops function as mezzo-level institutions that help workers reclaim control over work conditions and life priorities. Based on this, we propose the Intersectional Work-Life Ecosystem (IWLE) framework, which highlights three key dynamics: 1) precarious workers’ distinct WLB priorities grounded in their intersectional lived realities; 2) the role of collective culture and democratic governance in co-op support systems; and 3) the significance of broader organizational ecosystems that supplement co-ops’ limited capacity. This study expands the WLB field by centering precarious immigrant workers and offering policy and practice implications that support alternative organizational models and integrated social support systems for their WLB.