SEIU Healthcare IL IN MO KS is a dynamic, action-oriented union representing 95,000 healthcare and child care workers throughout Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas. We believe in a society defined by freedom and justice, where we can all have quality education, health care and jobs, and where we all can live a full and plentiful life of our choosing. SEIU HCIIMK’s mission is to organize together to build power and demand and win social and economic justice for our communities.

Purpose:

The Organizer’s primary responsibility is to develop strong leaders and worker committees to make decisions, take action, and build power together. Organizer’s will be expected develop advanced leaders and promote an effective group dynamic among worker-leaders through a variety of campaigns on the job and in the community.

Location: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Organizer performs a wide range of duties, which may vary according to the needs of the overall program or a specific campaign. Examples of those duties and responsibilities are listed below:

• Challenge and move workers to action
• Develop workers to ensure they have the chance to grow, learn and lead, including leader ID, recruitment, and analyzing leaders’ skill sets
• Create and sustain a worker leadership program for their turf, including building member leadership committees, and creating and implementing development plans for leaders
• Expand the membership of the union, and move members to action
• Develop and execute a campaign or turf plan, and report on work accomplished
• Prepare and track turf for multiple organizers and/or leaders
• Train leaders (stewards) on basic organizing and contract enforcement skills
• Represent workers in all stages of the grievance process, help prepare for arbitrations, and file unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB
• Interpret and create contract language, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, prepare for and conduct arbitration hearings, and represent members in all stages of the grievance process

Bargaining

• Assist with bargaining for homecare and childcare center contracts across the state(s).
• Work with stewards, bargaining committees, and elected leaders to ensure priorities and the strategic goals of the union are reflected in our agreements.
• Maintain regular communication with management and steward councils to ensure contract enforcement and impact bargaining takes place
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• Run a team of member interns or volunteers to accomplish goals
• Design and lead campaigns with leaders based on workers’ issues
• Electoral and political organizing, including COPE recruitment
• Organize community support; move one-on-one meetings with allied organizations and be able to identify common interests; and represent the union at outside tables
• Mobilize workers and coordinate meetings, actions and other activities
• Critical thinking under pressure, and strategizing in support of campaign goals
• Formulate and deliver on short-term and long-term campaign and project goals
• Effectively communicate the Union’s vision and mission
• Other Duties as assigned

Working Conditions:

Organizers may be required to work long and irregular hours, and to work on weekends and holidays when necessary.

Other Expectations:

Organizers are expected to lead by example. Organizers must be able to work with racially and ethnically diverse workers in both cities and in rural areas. They must be able to respect, learn from, and lead women, people of color and low-wage workers and others. All staff are expected to respect the processes of the organization and to work within the framework of the organization to resolve internal disputes and issues.

Key Qualification Criteria:

• Minimum of one year experience organizing in campaign, worker or community settings
• A strong commitment to social justice and alignment to values of our union
• A belief in workers’ ability to organize and collectively bargain and achieve desired goals together
• Ability to lead, motivate and inspire workers to develop into leaders and participate in key union organizing activities even in the face of employer opposition and intimidation (i.e. building organizing committees, member to member organizing, actions, etc.)
• Ability to think strategically, take initiative and be creative in engaging workers in campaigns and provide the support needed to be successful
• Sound interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
• Knowledge of labor history, collective bargaining, organizing models and other relevant information, and ability to support others in doing the same
• Must be flexible and able to handle multiple priority projects simultaneously and meet established deadlines and remain accountable to leaders, senior staff, and organizational goals
• Good and ethical judgment. Willingness to take initiative, to work with a team
• Basic working knowledge of Microsoft Office, databases and Internet
• Working knowledge of organizing campaign assessment systems (i.e. UW, VAN)
• A valid driver’s license, car and car insurance
• Bilingual (English/Spanish or English and other language of membership) is a plus

Salary and Benefits:

• Salary Exempt position is competitive and commensurate with experience. Company-paid benefits are included.