VSEA Seeks A Union Organizer

March 18, 2024

Job Description: Union Organizer

General Work Performed

The union organizer reports to the Director of Organizing and the Executive Director.

The job of the union organizer at the Vermont State Employees’ Association is to build the organization by recruiting new members, as well as identifying new activists and leaders and work with these members to develop the skills needed to play an active role in building power through their union. In addition to building new leadership within VSEA, the union organizer is expected to support those members who currently hold leadership positions within the union.

The union organizer must work with members to identify key issues impacting their daily lives, both in and out of the workplace, and engage in the development and execution of an action plan that engages members to take action on improving their existing situation.

Specific Areas of Responsibility

The VSEA union organizer’s work will include:

Leadership Development

  • Identify existing leaders within VSEA and build relationships with those members through the work of building the union
  • Identifying and recruiting members to fill leadership roles within the structure of VSEA
  • Assigning and following up with members on work that leads to the growth of their union or a win on a given issue
  • Educate and support members on ways in which they can talk to their colleagues about the union, effective strategies for identifying issues and using direct action to make improvements
  • Work with the VSEA Labor Educator to have input into membership training needs and curriculum

Support VSEA’s broader organization goals and activities

  • Turnout to events, trainings and meetings
  • Participating on key legislative, community and workplace issues as outlined by the VSEA Strategic Plan

Identify Key Issues for Members and Move Plan of Action

  • Meet with members to discuss current issues that are of importance
  • Assess whether direct action can affect the current situation
  • Work with members to develop a clear work plan around the issue and execute such a plan
  • Coordinate communications, admin, legal and field rep support as needed
  • Become proficient in leadership ID and mapping out social relationships of a worksite and within the broader union

Increase Union Membership

  • Demonstrates proficiency in a basic organizing conversation
  • Proven success in signing up fee payer and new employees as VSEA members
  • Engages union activists and leaders in the process of signing up new members

Communicates with Members

  • Have regular and frequent presence in worksites, holding face-to-face conversations with VSEA leaders, activists and rank-and-file members
  • Provide the VSEA Communications Department with regular updates on internal and external organizing efforts
  • Update VSEA bulletin boards in worksites by providing activists and leaders with updated materials as often as possible.

Record Keeping

  • Charting and mapping out worksites and support
  • Keeping up-to-date lists and records in the database
  • Reporting progress to the organizing team, VSEA staff and the Director of Organizing, along with openly communicating and brainstorming around the existing challenges
  • Completing accurate timesheets, expense reports and mileage reimbursements

Other Duties as Assigned

The activities by which we do this and the emphasis on different parts of that process may shift throughout the year, but those goals and a core set of responsibilities should remain relatively consistent. Union organizers will works as a team and with field representatives and the rest of the staff. They will also work independently at times. The population of workers may be fluid between existing VSEA members and non-union workers, depending on external campaign needs.

Environmental Factors

  • This position is based out of the VSEA Headquarters in Montpelier, although the union organizer’s work will require travel to worksites and locations across the state on a regular basis.
  • The VSEA Union Organizer will be required to work long and irregular hours and will receive compensation for over 40 hours as determined by the collective bargaining agreement between the Staff Alliance and the VSEA.

Salary range is $53,788.80 to $61,942.40, based on experience.  

Please send resumes to VSEA@VSEA.org by April 5, 2024