Job Details

Union Representative/Education Organizer

Union Representative/Education Organizers work with the Union's leadership development programs. SEIU-UHW's Organization Development Department offers a range of programs including leadership development for worksite leaders and staff, continuing education, basic skills, and citizenship workshops.

Job Functions:

• Work with the Executive Board members, shop stewards and committee representatives to design and implement campaigns to build organizational power and be responsible for the effective functioning of the Union including leadership identification, recruitment, development, and training of members, stewards, and new staff.
• Design and implement organizing campaigns to win Union recognition for unorganized workplaces, building organizing committees, identifying issues, leadership identification and development, and preparing workers for NLRB, MMBA and other elections, and/or strategic and recognition campaigns.
• Exercise leadership, training and motivation to build and maintain a steward system designed to empower and mobilize workers through contract negotiation, contract enforcement, and other issues and disputes affecting workers. Assign tasks to stewards, be responsible for directing stewards with respect to developing and implementing Union policies on all workplace issues.
• Educate workers and others on how power relationships work and how workers can/should use that knowledge.
• Communicate with workers including listening, framing issues and motivating them to participate actively.
• Visit work sites on a regular basis covering all shifts. Listen to workers concerns, determine when to file grievances, determine on what basis to settle grievances or prepare grievances for arbitration.
• Organize rallies and demonstrations; provide strike support including organizing workers and members involvement, support actions, pressure campaigns on employers and building community support.
• Develop written materials including newsletters, training materials, other literature, and press releases, etc.
• Participate in lobbying at State, Federal and local levels and educate and mobilize members around the Union's political program.
• Lead workers in community issues and build relationships with relevant people/groups/organizations outside the Union.
• Recruit rank and file members to sit on Political Action Committees and participate in organizing legislative and electoral campaigns.
• Represent the Union as assigned in community and labor coalition activities.
• Lead other organizer(s) and be responsible for a program of the Union when assigned.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings.
• Complete all required administrative tasks (i.e., Activity forms, expense forms, etc.) in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate record keeping on facility records.
• Required to work long and varying hours including weekends, nights and holidays. Regular worksite visits, home visits and canvassing.
• Requires constant use of independent judgment, self motivation, and capability of doing all the above duties with minimal supervision.
• Driving long distances for extended periods of time is also required. Travel both statewide and out of state with overnights and periods away from home may be required.
• Designing and implementing training programs for worksite leaders and union staff.
• Writing curricula on a variety of topics such as member organizing, representation, political action, and train-the-trainer.
• Conducting training and coordinating programs involving other trainers and presenters.
• Supporting the leadership development of member-trainers and staff who teach in the department's programs.
• Developing outreach materials and recruitment plans.
• Coordinating the logistical arrangements for courses.
• Completing needs assessments, maintaining accurate training records, and writing project reports.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 3 years experience as a union or community organizer or union field representative.
• Excellent program development skills.
• Demonstrated ability to write curricula, using a variety of adult teaching techniques appropriate for action-oriented education.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write reports, make presentations, facilitate meetings, and conduct training.
• Strong commitment to the labor movement and social justice work.
• Good knowledge of Unions.
• Knowledge of workers, the workplace, labor, and political issues.
• Excellent interpersonal skills as demonstrated by the ability to relate, establish and cultivate respectful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Adept at leading and motivating workers in necessary struggles.
• Dedication to workers' rights and social justice.
• Skilled at managing and meeting many and varying deadlines.
• Effective informal and formal negotiating skills.
• Effective demonstrable oral, written and listening skills in English; bilingual skills highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical and judgment skills as demonstrable by the ability to assess information and evidence and act strategically.
• Excellent organizational and prioritizing skills showing flexibility as needed; adept at dealing with conflicting/changing priorities.
• Effective facilitating and organizing meeting skills.
• Ability to work and organize independently and as part of a team.
• Working knowledge of or ability to learn computer programs including Word, e-mail, accessing the internet, and databases.

Tools:

The Union Representative/Organizer is required to have a valid driver's license, automobile insurance and a working automobile. Vehicles purchased after becoming a Union Representative/Organizer must be union made as approved by the United Auto Workers Union as a condition to receive the auto allowance.

Physical Demands:

The capacity to lift up to 25 pounds is required. Sit at a computer for long periods of time. Stand for long periods of time when leading training.

Relationships:

The Union Representative/Organizer works closely with and interact with Union members, unorganized workers, employers, government officials, the Executive Board members, officers, other staff, staff from other labor organizations and grassroots organizations.