JOB DESCRIPTION
Capital District Worker Center Coordinator

Set to open in September 2004, the Capital District Worker Center aims to build the power of low-wage workers through leadership development in order to achieve living wages, affordable health care and public policies that benefit the working poor. The coordinator is the lead organizer of the Worker Center, responsible for implementing a fundraising plan, projects and programs. The CD Worker Center is led by a board of 15, at least half of whom are low-wage workers. It is a joint project of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition and its Capital District affiliate, the Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition/ Jobs with Justice.

•The deadline to apply is July 30, 2004.
•Send a résumé and a cover letter to Coordinator Position, CD Worker Center, 55 Grant Avenue, Albany, NY 12212.
•Please include your educational and work history and emphasize experience (paid and volunteer) in organizing, coalition-building, the labor movement, fundraising, and working with elected officials, community organizations, student organizations and communities of color.
•The position will begin on September 7, 2004.

Required Qualifications and Skills
•Demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice
•Three years work experience with grassroots organizations (may include volunteer experience)
•Written and oral communication skills
•Computer and database skills
•Experience working with diverse communities
•Ability to work collaboratively within an organization
•Ability to motivate and inspire others
•Fundraising experience
•Ability to concurrently work on both short-term and long-range goals
•Willingness to work nights and weekends as necessary

Benefits
•Two-weeks paid holiday
•Comp time and some schedule flexibility
•Medical and dental insurance available

Hours & Salary
•32 hours per week
•Starting salary is $22,000 per year. Expected salary increases will be contingent upon meeting fundraising goals.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Working with the Worker Center board and Worker Center committees, the coordinator is responsible for the smooth running of the organization and the effectiveness of projects, programs and events. Whenever possible, the coordinator will recruit and involve other people in the carrying out of specific Worker Center tasks.

Staffing Board and Committees
The coordinator will ensure that meetings are scheduled, remind board and committee members of meetings, ensure that minutes are kept; and ensure that there is a process of reminding members of responsibilities and tasks they take on.

Office
The coordinator will ensure that the office is regularly staffed and that information requests, by phone, email or in person are met. The coordinator will see that mailings, press releases and other communication materials are prepared in a timely way.

Projects and Programs
The following are the initial projects and programs for the center as described in our funding application. They are listed here as examples of the types of work the coordinator will implement. The specific projects and programs of the Worker Center will be determined by the board.

· Demand that the New York State Department of Labor hold a hearing on the effects of the current minimum wage. Under a little known section of labor law, if ninety low-wage workers sign a petition to the Commissioner of Labor requesting a minimum wage hearing, the Commissioner is required to hold such a hearing. The Worker Center will gather at least ninety valid signatures, present the petitions at a press conference, line up political support for a hearing, and seek to have our board members provide testimony. This will be a unique and empowering contribution to efforts to raise the minimum wage. We will turn to the New York State AFL-CIO and community groups such as Citizen Action and the Hunger Action network to help us.

· Press for Living Wage legislation in the city of Albany. The Worker Center will organize the Capital District's first successful Living Wage campaign, with the support of other progressive organizations in our area. We will draw on the credibility of the Fiscal Policy Institute's economic data and analysis. The Worker Center will send delegations to meet with Common Council members seeking a veto-proof majority of sponsors, help draft legislation, train low-wage workers to testify, hold press conferences, and write letters. The Capital District Labor-Religion's Workers' Rights Board will be a participant in this process. We will also draw on the experiences of Labor-Religion Coalition affiliates in Buffalo, Syracuse and Elmira, undertaking Living Wage campaigns.

· Facilitate union-to-union support for immigrant and low-wage worker organizing drives. In at least six sessions during the first year, we propose to bring workers from successful organizing drives together with workers attempting to organize a union or gain a contract for advice and encouragement. Nursing home workers at Rosewood Gardens, represented by SEIU 1199, who have just gained a contract, could meet with workers at the Center for the Disabled, represented by UNITE, who are seeking to organize a union now. Such meetings are not happening in our area and could provide important support for the labor movement.
At least six unions in our area are working to organize or gain contracts for low- wage workers, such as janitors, health workers, school bus drivers, hotel staff, and day care workers. Each of these unions (UNITE, NYSUT, SEIU 1199 & 200United, HERE, AFSCME Local 1000) are either members or strong supporters of the Labor Religion Coalition. The Capital District Area Labor Federation is a collaborator on this project and we will draw on its monthly Organizers Roundtable for support.

· Develop worker-to-worker organizing mentorship program. We expect to recruit and train five mentors who are immigrants and low-wage workers who have been involved in successful organizing efforts and hold at least 12 mentoring sessions. Mentors will meet in churches or other neutral settings with workers experiencing workplace injustice to listen and share information on worker rights and organizing options. These Mentors will turn to the Worker Center staff and union organizers with whom we work for follow-up help. In addition to helping individuals through this process, we will collect workers' stories to use in our campaigns for institutional change. (For example, our effort to get all state labor agencies to use a common form for workers to report and seek redress for labor violations.)

· Provide organizing training for Worker Center members. Hold 12 three-hour leadership development sessions on topics such as fundraising, public speaking, board participation, and action campaign development. Among those who have agreed to lead sessions are Maureen Rizzi, Director of Education for the 5000,000 member New York State United Teachers (NYSUT); Sheila Stevens, NYSUT organizer; and Lori DeMeo, Workforce Development Program Director for the Capital District Area Labor Federation.

· Refer immigrants and low-wage workers to free individual empowerment and leadership development training programs. We have contacted staff at ten programs cooperating with Peter Young Housing, Industries, Treatment Inc., who have agreed to offer free classes and help to persons referred by the Worker Center. These include job development and placement services, computer literacy programs; English as a second language programs; and GED home study programs in both Spanish and English. During the year we will make at least 30 referrals.

Fundraising
The coordinator, working with a board finance committee, will develop and implement a fundraising plan to raise funds needed for the Worker Center. This will involve writing grant applications and fundraising letters as well as visiting unions and other potentially significant donors.

Personnel Committee
The Worker Center is a joint project of the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition and the Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition. The Worker Center board will keep the coordinating committee/boards of each organization informed of its work.

The coordinator is responsible to the Worker Center board. The Worker Center board will appoint a personnel committee to oversee the coordinator's work. The personnel committee will meet with the coordinator four times each year. In addition the chair of the personnel committee will meet with the coordinator in person or by phone each week to review progress on current work.

A major responsibility of the personnel committee will be to help the coordinator, as needed, to establish priorities. The projected work for the coordinator is much greater than a person would have time to accomplish. Not everything we would like to do will get done.

Last Updated: 06/28/2004
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