Labor Notes is a media and organizing project that has been the voice of union activists who want to put the movement back in the labor movement since 1979. Fresh off our record-breaking 2018 conference and with our book Secrets of a Successful Organizer flying off the shelves, Labor Notes’ influence is growing, and we are uniquely placed to encourage and shape a reviving, militant, bottom-up labor movement.

We’re looking to add two to three colleagues to our team. Women, people of color, and speakers of Spanish or another language are strongly encouraged to apply. This job is based in our New York office. Desired start date is ASAP.

What you’ll definitely do: Since we are a small staff, we all play multiple roles in the organization’s planning and day-to-day functioning. As a Labor Notes organizer, you will:

• • Network and Recruit: Keep in regular touch with rank-and-file activists across the country and around the world. Identify article ideas for the monthly magazine and daily blog and recruit activists to write. You will also write some articles yourself, but this is not primarily a writing job.
  • Organize Events and Trainings:

  Coordinate one-day

Troublemaker Schools

 (like mini-Labor Notes Conferences) in cities around the U.S. and Canada. Work with local committees to plan the program, recruit participants, and organize logistics. Set up and sometimes facilitate workshops and ongoing support for local unions, caucuses, and worker centers.
• Build Labor Notes:

Promote Labor Notes publications, events, and training. Assist in fundraising efforts. Take lead responsibilities in some areas of work.

• Help Organize Labor Notes’ biennial Conference (next in 2020).

Your assignments will certainly include recruiting individuals and groups to attend. You might also be coordinating workshop speakers, dealing with venue and vendors, organizing volunteers, soliciting program book ads, overseeing scholarships, coordinating language interpretation, entertainment/culture, childcare, fundraising before and during, or audiovisual needs onsite.

• Learn and Grow: Labor Notes’ staff culture is friendly and collaborative. We value camaraderie, respect, a diverse workplace, and helping each other solve problems. We are committed to supporting staff members’ growth and skills development.

What you might do: Each member of the staff brings unique skills and interests to the table. Besides the baseline work described above, you will also have the opportunity to specialize, eventually taking the lead on certain projects or ongoing areas of work.

• For instance, we anticipate one position will develop into an Education Coordinator who will head up the training, coaching, curriculum development, and strategic planning support that we offer on a contract basis to unions. You would in some cases be providing the services yourself, and in other cases matchmaking the opportunity with a Labor Notes staffer or off-staff consultant from our Labor Notes Associates network. This role includes developing relationships with union leaders and activists, assessing their needs, developing and overseeing the progress of contracts, mentoring other staff, and working with staff to craft new curricula. The ideal candidate is an experienced labor organizer and trainer who has a wide background in bargaining, representation, organizing, labor education, internal organizational development, and campaigns.
• Other areas where you could become our in-house expert and specialist include design and layout, fundraising, book promotion, or website and database management. Taking a relevant class to sharpen your skills could be part of your development in the role. Does this prospect excite you? Do you have expertise, talent, or interests you’d like to develop in any of these areas? Let us know.

Requirements:

• You have experience in the labor movement or in closely related grassroots organizing.
• You’re strongly committed to rank-and-file unionism.
• You’re well-organized. You can keep track of your own responsibilities and calendar, and meet deadlines.
• You’re self-motivated and enthusiastic to learn. You enjoy taking initiative to solve problems.
• You’re friendly, flexible, and good-humored. You enjoy working as part of a team and communicate well with co-workers.

Useful but not required (any of the following):

• Spanish or another language
• Layout and design
• Databases and websites
• Writing, research, and interviewing
• Event organizing
• Training, curriculum development, and labor education
• Union strategic and campaign planning
• Program management and staff coordination
• Public speaking
• Grassroots and foundation fundraising

Compensation: Salary is $60,000. Generous benefits and vacation are provided. We believe in a healthy work-life balance, and most work happens during regular office hours—but there are occasional weekend Troublemakers Schools, speaking trips, and demonstrations. Every other year, we have a few very busy months planning the Conference!

Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Please send resume and cover letter to jobs@labornotes.org.

About Labor Notes
Through our magazine, website, books, conferences, and workshops, we promote organizing, aggressive strategies to fight concessions, alliances with worker centers, and unions that are run by their members. We’re also a network of rank-and-file members, local union leaders, and labor activists. We encourage connections between workers in different unions, worker centers, communities, industries, and countries to strengthen the movement—from the bottom up.