Position: Union Representative/Organizer. UAW Local 2322 represents members in Western Massachusetts, Central Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. This position will involve some travel around the region and will report to Worcester, Massachusetts.

Union Representative/Organizer will primarily work with bargaining units based at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and will be expected to be on campus regularly. This is subject to change based on UAW 2322’s needs.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a global leader in project-based learning, is a distinctive, top-tier technological university founded on the principle that students learn most effectively by applying the theory learned in the classroom to the practice of solving real-world problems. WPI houses over 70 different educational tracks (PhD, MS, BA/BS) spanning disciplines from engineering, computer science, business, biology, and more.

The WPI Graduate Workers Union (WPI-GWU) represents a diverse group of ~580 graduate researchers, teaching assistants, and fellows working at WPI. This includes a significant population of international graduate workers. GWU obtained our first contract in August 2023 and has amalgamated into the United Auto Workers Local 2322. Through extremely successful collaboration with UAW Organizers, WPI-GWU has laid a strong foundation to protect workers’ rights across all disciplines. WPI-GWU is committed to fighting for safe, high-quality working conditions and advancing protections against discrimination and exploitation of graduate workers at WPI.

Hours of work: Flexible full-time (40 hours) work schedule

Job Duties include but are not limited to:

• Working with members and stewards to administer and enforce contracts, resolve disputes, process grievances, arbitrations and Unfair Labor Practices, and facilitating the use of these as organizing opportunities with membership participation at every level 
• Identifying, recruiting, training, and developing member leaders across GWU
• Conducting new member orientations to organize new members, and support and facilitate member participation in orientations.
• Engaging in internal member mobilization activities around workplace issues, and organizing workers to address issues through collective action with a critical racial and gender justice lens
• Maintaining regular and effective communication with workers, unit leaders, and union leadership and staff
• Organizing and facilitating various trainings for members and member leaders
• Coordinating member-driven and member-lead contract negotiations
• Facilitating labor-management meetings in worksites
• Building and strengthening stewards networks
• Organizing and participating in rallies, demonstrations, and meetings (including but not limited to: Joint Council meetings, stewards’ meetings, committee meetings, coalition meetings, etc)
• Developing fliers, posters, buttons, slogans, and other campaign-related materials and items
• Helping develop the Union’s message by talking to members, stewards and union leaders, and articulating this message among the membership at large
• Participating in and recruiting members to participate in legislative and electoral campaign activities
• Keeping E-Board and Joint Council advised of any developments regarding potential problems, hot issues, and activities the union needs to be involved in
• Manage electronic lists & member databases, manage unit website

Skills and Qualities Preferred:

• A demonstrated commitment to the labor movement, racial equity, and justice  
• Familiarity with higher education and the university as an employer 
• Prior organizing experience with demonstrable successes, preferably organizing within higher education or with similar highly motivated, but often siloed workers 
• Past union experience including collective bargaining, grievance handling, organizing (new and internal), and first contract campaigns
• Familiarity with labor and employment law
• Basic legal research experience
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and conflict transformation skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to write quickly and succinctly
• Detail oriented
• Ability to work with and take direction from unit members, the Local President, Executive Board, and Joint Council                                                         
• Creative and strategic thinker
• Self-motivated and able to work independently        
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• Patience, persistence, and flexibility
• Computer literate: email, Google Workspace, social media, word processing (Word), spreadsheets (Excel), internet usage
• A properly insured, registered vehicle and a valid Driver’s License is required
• Skills in languages other than English preferred

UAW 2322 values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, Black people, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, immigrants, and veterans to apply. UAW 2322 is an equal-opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws. 

Starting pay rate: $1250 starting pay per week. Salary and benefits are generous and dictated by a staff CBA. Staff are represented by IWW 650. UAW Local 2322’s office is located in Holyoke Massachusetts.

To be considered please submit a resume and cover letter to hiring@uaw2322.org. In your cover letter sketch how you would organize towards leader recruitment and membership engagement in this role. Please include three references in your resume.We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis but priority review will be given to applications received May 24th, 2024.