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Labor and Community Job Opportunities

Communications Coordinator at The Vermont Workers’ Center

Communications Coordinator (full time): The Vermont Workers’ Center – Jobs with Justice (VWC) is accepting applications for a full time Communications Coordinator.

The Communications Coordinator is responsible for developing and carrying out the communications plan for the Healthcare is a Human Right Campaign and the Vermont Workers’ Center.

Details:

  • This position will be expected to work primarily in the Burlington and Montpelier offices.
  • Job responsibilities include (but are not limited to) spokesperson development, building relationships with journalists and pitching stories, written campaign materials, email blasts, website content, member development, content distribution, trainings, and social media.
  • Full time starting in early August.
  • Salary based on experience, full healthcare and dental benefits, health and wellness stipend, paid vacation and sick time.

Qualifications:

  • 2+ years of experience with strategic communications work in a campaign context.
  • Passion for justice, a willingness to learn, and the ability to work hard.
  • A knowledge of labor movement, human rights and grassroots organizing practices and principles strongly preferred.
  • Strong time management skills and organization, excellent written and oral communication skills, detail oriented, and self motivated.
  • Ability to exercise good judgment and be able to work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
  • Driver’s license and insurance required.
  • Graphic design skills preferred, but not required.
  • Strong computer skills, experience with html preferred.

To Apply:
Send a resume, cover letter, 2 examples of written communications work (press release, email blast, etc.), and 3 professional references to james (at) workerscenter.org
Application Deadline: August 1, 2014

The Vermont Workers’ Center – Jobs with Justice (VWC) encourages people to apply from all ages, race, ability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status and geography. We are looking for people who love being part of a team and have the ability to dream big and work hard to build a movement for more just communities and to build a better world.

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Gag Rules and Wage Discrimination: Why Workers Need to Know Their Rights

Under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, workers have a right to organize a union to negotiate with employers. So how can so many workplaces impose gag rules, prohibiting employees from discussing pay with one another?

In When the Boss Says, ‘Don’t Tell Your Coworkers How Much You Get Paid’, a recent article in The Atlantic, Jonathan Timm argues:

Gag rules…are policies that flourish when employers know the law and their employees do not.

Timm goes on to explain:

the NLRA is toothless and employers know it. When employees file complaints, the National Labor Relations Board’s “remedies” are slaps on the wrist: reinstatement for wrongful termination, back-pay, and/or “informational remedies” such as “the posting of a notice by the employer promising to not violate the law.”

At the same time, ignorance of the law can just as easily fuel gag rules. Craig Becker, general counsel for the AFL-CIO, used to serve on the National Labor Relations Board. He told me that workers who called the NLRB rarely were aware that their employer’s pay secrecy policy was unlawful.

Continue reading Gag Rules and Wage Discrimination: Why Workers Need to Know Their Rights →

Arts and Culture, Poetry

Jayne Cortez, “Find Your Own Voice”

Video


 
A Dialogue Between Voice and Drums,” live at
The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY
on October 23, 2010.

“A firespitting evening with drummer Denardo Coleman, featuring a voice celebrated for her political, surrealistic, dynamic innovations in lyricism, and visceral sound. Cortez’s literary work and impassioned activism, inspired by the ideals of human dignity and social justice, have been called blues poetics, part of the foundation of hip hop and performance poetry. Denardo Coleman is a musician, composer, producer and drummer with the Ornette Coleman Quartet.”

-from The Sanctuary for Independent Media via YouTube

Home, Labor Studies

Unions Backing Historic People’s Climate March

By Jeremy Brecher

Delegates to Connecticut State Council of Machinists (CSCM) conference at the end of June voted unanimously to endorse and participate in the historic People’s Climate March set for Sunday, September 21, 2014 in Manhattan. This was just the most recent of a growing number of union endorsements for the March. New York area locals endorsing the March by June 20 included:

CWA District 1
CWA 1180
Teamsters Joint Council 16
Local 3 IBEW
DC37
SEIU 32BJ
TWU 100
Heat and Frost Insulators
UAW Region 9
NYSNA
Brotherhood of Maintenance and Way, Teamsters
SEIU 1199

These are just the pioneers: Many more endorsements, local and national, are expected.

 
The Peoples Climate March

On September 21, union members will march side-by-side with tens of thousands of their neighbors, friends and family members for a future with good jobs, clean air, and healthy communities for all.

The March coincides with a September 23 global summit on climate change called by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, frustrated at the slow pace of progress on this crucial issue. Ban Ki-moon will propose an aggressive global pact to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2015.

The invitation to the March says:

“With our future on the line and the whole world watching, we’ll take a stand to bend the course of history. We’ll take to the streets to demand the world we know is within our reach: a world with an economy that works for people and the planet; a world safe from the ravages of climate change; a world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities. To change everything, we need everyone on board.”

 
Labor on the March

Labor supporters of the march are encouraging union members, their families and their friends to participate in the September 21 March as proud union members and labor allies who are both concerned for our communities and determined to make a difference. An unprecedented array of forces for climate, economic justice and environmental justice including labor, community, environmental, human rights, faith, and arts organizations are coming together for this march.

Labor participants explain that climate change must be considered a labor issue – and an issue of social justice. When Super Storm Sandy hit the northeast in October 2012, we experienced firsthand the devastating impacts of a rapidly changing global climate. It destroyed communities and also revealed the vulnerabilities and inequities that existed before the storm for working New Yorkers. Sandy showed us that climate change is here and that if we do nothing the most vulnerable will be the hardest hit. Working people, the poor, the young, the old, women, immigrants, and people of color are all suffering disproportionately, yet together gain the least from the current patterns of investment and neglect.

Like the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom identified with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this march will emphasize the centrality of jobs to other forms of progress – in this case climate progress. It will send the message that the two crises of the climate and the economy have one solution – put people to work making our economy climate-safe.

Labor supporters of the March maintain that we can create good paying union jobs that address the climate crisis by reducing our emissions and transition us to a sustainable, equitable economy with energy efficient buildings, improved and expanded public transit systems, renewables-based power, sustainable waste systems, and much more. Addressing the climate crisis is an opportunity to reduce unemployment, grow our unions, improve our community’s health and restore balance to our environment. It’s also an opportunity to challenge the 1% and corporate CEO’s who are responsible for both attacking our unions and polluting our environment and causing climate change. They are the main reason why the United Nations has failed to reach a binding global agreement on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

 
Connecticut Machinists

The Connecticut State Council of Machinists delegates who voted to support the March represent more than 10,000 active and retired Machinists Union members in Connecticut from industrial sites including Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Sundstrand, Electric Boat, Stanley Works and other IAM-represented workplaces around the state.

CT State Council President John Harrity said: “Let’s be clear. Climate change is the most important issue facing all of us for the rest of our lives. And as the resolution points out, working families and the poor will bear the brunt the catastrophic consequences we are already beginning to experience.”

Harrity continued, “I am proud of the CSCM delegates, and their clear understanding of how crucial this issue is. I am hoping that hundreds of Connecticut Machinists can make the short trip to New York for this historic event. When our kids, and grandkids, ask ‘What did you do to help stop this disaster?’ which they will surely ask if we do not take drastic steps immediately – Machinists Union activists can say, ‘We helped save the world. We were there on September 21.’”

 
Here is the text of the Connecticut Machinists’ resolution:

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE’S CLIMATE MARCH

WHEREAS, world leaders are coming to New York City on September 23 for a historic United Nations summit on climate change and Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon will call for governments to agree on an ambitious agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before the end of 2015; and

WHEREAS, an unprecedented array of groups representing climate, economic justice, environmental justice, human rights, labor, faith, and the arts are uniting for the People’s Climate March on Sunday, September 21; and

WHEREAS, the rapidly changing climate is impacting union members and working communities in New York as we experienced firsthand with the devastating impacts of Sandy; and

WHEREAS, we recognize that working people will suffer disproportionately from the current patterns of investment and neglect that do not prioritize good jobs, clean air, and healthy communities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, to endorse the People’s Climate March and support the demand for an ambitious, binding, and fair agreement for emission reductions to foster a sustainable adaptation to the effects of climate change; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, to encourage union members, and also their families and friends, to participate in the march as proud union members and also encourage participation in the other events around the UN Climate Summit on September 23rd movement to address the challenge of climate change.

PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY CT STATE COUNCIL OF MACHINISTS DELEGATES ON JUNE 21, 2014.

Photo by kris krug via flickr (CC-BY-NC-ND).

Labor and Community Job Opportunities, Opportunities

Two Positions at Worker Justice Center of New York

STAFF ATTORNEY

Job Type: Staff Attorney
Schedule Type: Full-Time
Location: Kingston, New York

Job Description

The Worker Justice Center of NY seeks a staff attorney to manage an active docket of labor and employment law and civil rights cases, including class action lawsuits. The attorney will work closely with WJCNY staff and co-counsel and report to the Executive Director. S/he will also as needed conduct legal trainings for advocates and other attorneys. Applicant should possess a demonstrated interest in low-wage worker issues and have a strong commitment to providing legal services to low-income populations. The position is located in our office at 9 Main Street, Kingston, NY. 12401.

Qualifications

The candidate should possess a minimum of 3-5 years of experience in the area of labor/employment or related areas of law. Must be admitted to practice in New York or be able to be admitted within a reasonable period of time. Proficiency in Spanish is preferred.

Salary

Salary commensurate with experience, including a union benefits package competitive with other non-profit legal services organizations.

Application Instructions:

Please send, fax or e-mail a resume and brief cover letter to the

Worker Justice Center of NY: Fax: (585) 325-3050. Attn: Lew Papenfuse or by e-mail to lpapenfuse@wjcny.org

Contact Information:

Lew Papenfuse
Phone: (585) 325-3050
lpapenfuse@wjcny.org
1187 Culver Road, Rochester, NY 14609-5448

Application Deadline: 08/01/2014

___________________________________________________

LEGAL ASSISTANT

Job Type: Legal Assistant
Schedule Type: Full-Time
Location: Kingston, New York

Job Description

The Worker Justice Center of New York (WJCNY) is seeking to hire a full time legal assistant in our Kingston office. Working directly with WJCNY attorneys, paralegals, and other staff, the legal assistant will conduct legal intakes and direct client communication, handle case management duties, draft certain legal documents, assist in preparation of court appearances, participate in outreach on a limited basis if needed, and provide general office support. The position is located in our office at 9 Main Street, Kingston, NY. 12401.

Qualifications

Bachelor-level college degree or a demonstrated ability to perform the specific duties and responsibilities listed above. Two years experience working directly with farm workers, other low-wage workers, or immigrant communities. Experience working with legal organizations, other not-for-profits, or workplace safety issues a plus. Ability to work well in a team setting and demonstrate sensitivity to the cultural/ethnic diversity of the population we serve. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal skills and organizational skills. Fluency in Spanish a must. Additional language skills a plus.

Salary

Salary commensurate with experience, including a union benefits package competitive with other non-profit legal services organizations.

Application Instructions:

Please send, fax or e-mail a resume and brief cover letter to the

Worker Justice Center of NY: Fax: (585) 325-3050. Attn: Lew Papenfuse or by e-mail to lpapenfuse@wjcny.org

Contact Information:

Lew Papenfuse
Phone: (585) 325-3050
lpapenfuse@wjcny.org
1187 Culver Road, Rochester, NY 14609-5448

Application Deadline: 08/01/2014

___________________________________________________
Discover more about the Worker Justice Center of New York, including internship and volunteer opportunities.

Home, Labor Studies

Response to Nick Unger’s “Unions as Consciousness Builders – Part 2”

On July 3rd, we posted Part II of Nick Unger’s series on union structures, labor history and union member consciousness. As with the first installment, the responses have been rolling in. Here’s a sampling:

From Martin Morand, Professor Emeritus, Industrial and Labor Relations, Indiana University of Pennsylvania:

Nick is painfully correct — as far as he has gone. Since he promises, “Glimpses of new possibilities that might make one less forlorn,” my cavils may be premature. But, “fools rush in…”

As critique this is brilliant — painfully so. Until I see the “new possibilities,” I remain forlorn. As with Occupy, it exposes and labels the enemy without quite providing a solution. Continue reading Response to Nick Unger’s “Unions as Consciousness Builders – Part 2” →