Communications Workers of America Local 7799
(CWA 7799)

Union Organizer
Defenders Union of Colorado

Based in the Denver metro area and greater Colorado

 

Position Title: Union Organizer, Defenders Union of Colorado
Employer: Communications Workers of America Local 7799
Starting Salary: $68,808.58/year
Location: Denver Metro Area and greater Colorado
Travel: Weekly onsite visits to various worksite locations
Availability: Full-time
Start Date: January 2025
Benefits: Health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, life insurance 401k, Staff union position

Defenders Union of Colorado (DUC) CWA 7799 is an equal opportunity employer. We actively seek to promote diversity within our organization, and we encourage women, LGBTQ, people of color, and disabled individuals to apply.  

CWA Local 7799 is seeking a full-time Organizer with a passion for social justice to assist in organizing a wall-to-wall union within the Colorado public defenders system.

The field organizer will be accountable to and supported by the Executive Board, the House of Delegates, the membership at-large, and the campaign leads that work for the Communications Workers of America (CWA). In this position, they will be responsible for organizing workers throughout the public defense system by building recruitment and leadership development strategies. They will coordinate and manage issue campaigns that improve material conditions for all rank-and-file members, and build unity and solidarity amongst all workers across departments and job titles.

As a field organizer you will be expected to recruit members to their union, build and support organizing committees, identify and develop leaders, work with Local staff and union members to develop trainings and workshops, develop and execute plans for issue campaigns, grow the Local’s Political Action Fund, and help execute electoral mobilizations.

On-the-job training for this position is provided, with the potential to collaborate with national CWA trainings and attend trainings relevant to the responsibilities of the position.

Responsibilities:

• Implement and support CWA’s organizing and political programs and all other Local 7799 programs and campaigns among members and non-members.
• Recruit new members to the union both independently and in collaboration with union leaders, organizers, and the Organizing Committee.
• Conduct worksite visits of all employment positions eligible to join their union - willingness to do regular in-person work is a must.
• Communicate with membership and potential members through in person conversations, email, phone calls, Slack, text messages, and digital platforms.
• Lead and support canvassing and issue campaigns, committees, caucuses, and working groups.
• Identify and develop workplace leaders.
• To meet the diverse needs of our membership, you will be asked to work irregular and sometimes long hours, including early mornings and late evenings. Your essential functions also include significant walking, including stairs; prolonged standing; occasionally carrying materials or other containers weighing up to thirty pounds for significant distances; significant driving, including intercity, rural, mountain and night driving; frequent need to communicate in writing, via telephone, and regular computer use. With COVID and working semi-remotely, this requires long hours in front of a computer, communicating through Zoom, any other video conferencing, or Slack for meetings.

The person hired for this job should bring these attributes:

• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including some nights and weekends
• Strong commitment to social justice and the labor movement
• Be a self-starter with an eye for identifying necessary tasks and executing them in a timely manner
• Be able to create and stick to your a schedule that meets the needs of membership while taking into account your personal time
• Be willing to do work in person with workers as well as online
• Written and oral communication skills, such as:
  • Empathic listener
  • Persuasive speaker/strong presentation skills
  • Proven adaptability to differing cultural environments
• Proficient with technology including but not limited to Slack, Word, Zoom, Excel, email, text messaging, Canva Pro, hustle, ActionBuilder, ActionNetwork, and/or the ability and willingness to learn these platforms
• Ability to work as team member, as well as take individual initiative with minimal supervision
• Driver’s license and a reliable vehicle
• Familiarity or experience with the Colorado Public Defender System or Public Defender systems in general
• Familiarity with organizing in a wall-to-wall, pre-majority, and worker-led context is a strong plus

This position will be covered by a staff union contract. Our union sites are: www.CWA7799.org, www.defendersunionco.org.  

To Apply:
Applications should be submitted to Megan Ferreira (finance@cwa7799.org) along with two professional references and a cover letter.