Job Listings

UNION MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZER

Hartford , CT

Summary

The New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199/SEIU is looking for smart, motivated individuals who want to help workers fight for better working conditions, dignity on the job, and improvements in health care for all working families.

Description

Often called "my favorite union" by Martin Luther King Jr., District 1199 is a bold, democratic labor organization with a long activist tradition. Over the past 25 years, we have used strategic campaigns and direct action to form unions, win significant victories for employees, and demand improvements for sick, elderly, and needy patients in nursing homes, state mental retardation and mental health facilities, hospitals and other health care centers.

We are the largest health care union in New England with 22,000 members, including nurses, nursing assistants, dietary workers, and housekeepers. The majority of our members and staff are women; many are people of color, and/or immigrants. We are also affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) -- the largest and fastest-growing labor union in the country.

Union Membership Organizers work with our members to build and exercise power in the workplace and to advocate for better health care.

Responsibilities include:

• Train members to handle problems (grievances), serve as advocates, and become effective leaders in the workplace.
• Motivate and mobilize members to stand up against management.
• Meet with workers through one-on-one and group meetings, phone calls, and house visits.
• Recruit volunteers to participate in political, legislative, and issue-oriented campaigns.
• Help lead membership meetings, grievance procedures, and contract negotiations.
• Lead actions, rallies, events, and strikes.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership and organizing skills at work, on campus, or in the community. Experience as a union or community organizer preferred; health care experience a plus. • Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Bilingual skills in Spanish, Creole/French, or Portuguese a plus. • Ability to work independently, solve problems, and manage time and priorities. • Willingness to work long hours, including nights and weekends. • Good listening, speaking and writing communication skills. • Automobile and valid driver's license.