Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges
SEIU Local 1973

Union Organizer

Based in Hartford, CT

 

The Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges, SEIU Local 1973, known as the 4Cs, is Connecticut’s largest public higher education union. The 4Cs represents approximately 3,200 full-time and part-time faculty and staff members at CT State Community College’s 12 campuses, as well as part-time faculty members at the University of Hartford and Charter Oak State College. Because our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions, we join with our overwhelmingly working class, majority Black and Brown students and their communities to fight on campus and at the state legislature for well-funded quality education so that our members, our students, and our system have the resources necessary for success for all.

The Union Organizer is responsible for representing our full and part-time bargaining unit members. Participation in organizing, legislative/political and community actions, member empowerment through chapter leader education and development, collective bargaining agreement (CBA) advocacy, and negotiations characterize some of the core skills necessary to work with local and state leaders to reach our organization goals.

The successful 4Cs organizer’s duties include, but are not limited to:

• Conduct meetings, training, and other events vital to the active work of a community college union chapter.
• Travel between assigned colleges on a regular schedule to meet with members, chapter leaders and campus management.
• Identify issues and problems of concern to our diverse union membership with sensitivity and strategy.
• Advocate with members strategically and passionately.
• Support and train member leaders to handle grievances, arbitrations, and mediations.
• Identify member leaders and promote the development of current and future union leaders.
• Engage members support of our union’s state and national political program.
• Mobilize members to engage in direct action to further the interests of their union, students, their communities, and various organized labor and social justice partners.
• Periodic evening and weekend work is required.

Supervisory and Other Relationships:
The Union Organizer reports to the 4Cs president. In addition, the position involves extensive cooperative and collaborative work with other 4Cs staff, local and state officers, members at large, college campus and System Office personnel, and others.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• The ability to work with diverse higher education professionals in various stages of their careers.
• Written and oral communication skills sufficient for interaction with higher education professionals.
• The ability to interpret relevant special bodies of knowledge (contract, labor law, State of Connecticut pension and health care plan regulations, etc.)
• The ability to listen closely, reserve judgment, and to frame issues.
• The ability to research, gather, and interpret information and evidence.
• The ability to make persuasive arguments in a variety of settings, using multiple modalities.
• The ability to advocate and negotiate, both formally and informally.
• Information technology skills, especially digital organizing and digital campaigning.
• Planning and organizing abilities in individual, team, and coalition settings.
• Judgment and problem-solving skills, including prioritization of activities.
• Efficient time management skills to meet varied deadlines (e.g., return phone calls or email, and generate reports, etc.).
• Ability to motivate and develop confidence in others.
• Dedication to workers’ rights and progress.
• Knowledge of organized labor and political issues.
• Ability to work without direct supervision.

Required Experience and Training:

• Experience as a union or community organizer.
• A valid driver’s license and automobile insured and in good working order, for business use.

Women, people of color, and LGBTQ candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

Compensation:
Salary range starts at $74,604 (negotiable); includes full benefits package and mileage reimbursement.

To Apply:
Submit résumé to:

Email: kimberly@the4cs.org
Mail:
Kimberly Small
The 4Cs SEIU 1973
907 Wethersfield Ave., 2nd Floor
Hartford CT 06114
Fax: 860-296-6219