ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING

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The New York Hotel Trades Council, AFL-CIO, is currently seeking applications for the position of Assistant Director of Organizing.

The New York City hotel industry has been experiencing a prolonged construction boom and it is vital to our members, and to those who work without the dignity of a union contract, that we maintain and improve union density in our industry. This year we plan to launch a new, long-term program to organize non-union hotels in the city on a large scale. We intend to commit the staff and resources necessary to build a winning organizing program.

We have an immediate opening at the management level for an individual with considerable experience running successful union organizing campaigns. We offer a stimulating environment in a powerful union that encourages and develops active rank-and-file leadership.

This is a unique and exciting opportunity for a highly qualified individual to move to a very powerful union and organize a major industry from a position of strength. The Council has an impressive record of accomplishment and many resources. In 2004, our membership voted overwhelmingly to assess itself $1040 per member to fund the union's war chest and bolster its organizing program. In 2006, we won our best-ever citywide contract with the active support of a new rank-and-file leadership structure we call the H.E.A.T. System.

Areas of Responsibility

1. Assisting the leadership of the union to plan and execute an overall organizing strategy for the union;
2. Assist in the management of the organizing team;
3. Assist with the hiring, training and supervision of the organizing staff and the staff assigned to organizing projects;
4. Assist with the direction of the union's organizing program from targeting shops to negotiating first contracts;
5. Direct recruitment and training of organizing committees, and performing all of the duties of an organizer or lead organizer as needed.

Note: On occasion, it is possible that the Assistant Director of Organizing, as well as most of the staff of the Organizing Department, may be sent to work in other cities to assist other unions. However, the job is almost entirely limited to work in New York City and the surrounding area.

Advancement

This position offers good prospects for advancement. Resourceful and committed staff members who become familiar with the Union's operations have numerous opportunities for rewarding and interesting work.

Qualifications

• Experience running bottom-up union organizing campaigns against anti-union consultants;
• Experience recruiting organizers;
• Experience training and managing organizers;
• Experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements;
• Experience managing strikes;
• Experience working as an organizer and lead organizer on bottom-up organizing campaigns, and building rank-and-file organizing committees;
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice;
• Ability to communicate well, both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to establish close relationships with people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds;
• Ability to multitask, work efficiently and be well organized;
• Thorough attention to details;
• Willingness to work long hours, often on short (or immediate) notice;
• Willingness to travel on behalf of the union when necessary;
• Valid driver's license;
• Preferred: Bilingual (in addition to English), especially in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Russian, Polish or Bengali.

Salary and Benefits

• Annual salary will start at $50,000 - $80,000, depending on experience;
• Excellent benefits package, including medical, optical and dental benefits with family and domestic partner coverage, prescription drugs, pre-paid legal, flexible spending accounts, life cycle benefits, long term care insurance and other benefits;
• Excellent retirement package.

Additional Application Materials

• A list and description of the organizing drives, strikes and negotiations that you have worked on, clearly describing the nature of your role in each;
• A description of your work recruiting, training and supervising organizers;
• Relevant writing samples, such as organizing literature, or training materials for organizers or organizing committee members.