SHARE/AFSCME Union Organizer

SHARE/AFSCME Union Organizer

at UMass Memorial Health in Worcester, Massachusetts area

About SHARE

The SHARE Union represents 4000 healthcare and medical school workers at UMass Memorial Health, a safety net teaching hospital system in Central Massachusetts. SHARE organized in 1997 to give staff a voice in decisions about their work and a way to take care of each other. A non-traditional union, SHARE builds community through continuous one-to-one organizing and negotiates using interest-based bargaining. In 2016, SHARE negotiated a Labor Management Partnership with UMass Memorial to improve SHARE members’ work experience and keep our hospitals strong. Department-level Unit Based Teams are a cornerstone of that work. SHARE is closely connected to its sister unions, SHARE at UMass Medical School SHARE at Cambridge Health Alliance, and the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW), all affiliated with AFSCME. We encourage you to find out more about what we’ve done and what we care about.

SHARE Organizer Key Responsibilities

We are a team of generalists, each with our own unique skills. As an organizer, you will be responsible for the following:

• Build relationships of trust with every member in your assigned departments – one-to-one organizing is the most important thing we do.
• Support members’ participation in their Unit-Based Teams.
• Develop SHARE Reps, with a focus on young members.
• Support individual members through disciplinary problem-solving (SHARE’s version of a grievance procedure).
• Build working relationships with managers and HR reps in their areas.
• Be a strong teammate skilled at collaborating with a tight-knit team.
• In addition to your organizer responsibilities, be a resource to the team for managing projects, spreadsheets, and data (surveys, member database) alongside our other systems specialists.
• SHARE has applied for a grant about the effect of AI on women in the workplace, so a background or interest in this subject is a plus

Job qualifications

Experience with organizing, community outreach, or advocacy.

Personal characteristics: Empathy, cheerfulness, optimism, curiosity, sense of humor, commitment to treating all people with kindness and respect (members, non-members, hospital managers, HR staff, co-workers), appreciation of differences, tolerance for uncertainty, interest in learning new things, creative thinking. Ability to have fun and help others have fun. Desire to help individuals build a strong union, as well as change the course of history.

Soft skills: Active listening, mentoring skills, collaborative decision

making. Understand yourself well enough to be interest-based. Desire to help members and managers resolve conflicts. Ability to give and receive feedback. Interest in big picture questions, such as how healthcare policy will impact our members.

Hard skills: Proficiency with Microsoft Office or equivalent, excellent verbal and written communication skills. Pluses: experience with using spreadsheets for calculations; comfort with databases; ability to plan, track and implement projects.

This position requires travel between multiple Central Massachusetts locations, so applicants must have reliable transportation. This position is in person 3 or more days a week, as well as occasional weekends and evenings/nights, offset by flexibility in work schedule.

SHARE Offers

Exempt salaried position, with an annual rate of $80,000 and yearly increases.

Excellent benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage with fully employer paid premiums; generous paid leave time, paid holidays, personal days, and sick days; 401(k).

SHARE members are a diverse group, and SHARE is committed to equal opportunity for all employees and applicants and encourages applications from all qualified candidates. As an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE), we do not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, disability, or any other classification protected from discrimination under applicable law.

To Apply:

In addition to a résumé, please attach a cover letter that includes a description of your experience, either paid or unpaid, with organizing in labor, advocacy, community outreach, and/or political contexts. Please explain your reasons for wanting to work for SHARE and how this position fits into your long-term career plan.

Excellent health, vision, dental with employer-paid premiums, 401(k) contribution after 90 days, flexible schedule