Organization Summary: CTUL is a worker-led organization where workers organize, educate, and empower each other to fight for a voice in their workplaces and in their communities. We partner with other organizations and leaders to build a movement to win racial, gender, and economic justice. We identify the root causes of injustice and work to shift the balance of power between those who have it and those who don’t to improve the lives of our communities for present and future generations. Visit our website at https://www.ctul.net to learn more about our work.

Position Description

The Construction Worker program focuses on leadership development to build power with non-union construction workers across the Twin Cities to end wage theft in the industry and create structures in which workers can have a voice on the job. To accomplish this, there is an intensive focus on base building and leadership development. The Construction Worker Organizer is a full-time, salaried position organizing construction workers. This work will be carried out in the community and at workers’ homes and workplaces. The work includes meeting new workers, identifying potential leaders, and developing leadership to build power in their workplace and in their communities. The Organizer will also support workers who are experiencing wage theft at work, win back stolen wages and highlight worker victories. 

Primary Responsibilities 

Essential duties & responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:

• Find new workers at job-sites, at their homes and in community
• Set up 1-1 meetings with workers identified at work and through other contacts
• Listen and understand the self-interest of each worker in your area
• Identify potential leaders/Develop and move leaders into leadership roles
• Motivate and agitate workers to fight for change
• Be persistent obtaining commitments from workers
• Get workers to take action, take risks in confronting their boss
• Develop meeting agendas and facilitate meetings to engage construction workers
• Build CTUL’s membership and collect membership contributions
• Communicate regularly with Construction Campaign team to evaluate and improve work
• Participate in creating new strategic ideas on how to engage workers
• Participate in and lead direct action
• Report on organizing activities to your team and the organization
• Collect worker stories and report data
• Handles conflicts with workers, external partners, team members and supervisors in a constructive and generative manner. 

CTUL additional general support 

• Perform tasks that develops leadership with all workers in CTUL’s base
• Support other organizers when necessary for organizational goals
• Attend and be fully engaged in organizational meetings
• Build relationships with other staff through 1-1 meetings
• Participate in fundraising for CTUL.
• Support other staff when necessary in meeting CTUL’s goals.
• Support CTUL by providing translation during meetings.
• Flexible to the needs of carrying out the organizational mission.

Required Knowledge & Experience 

• Have a passion for organizing workers
• Always do the work with the goal of advancing CTUL’s mission
• Be able to go outside of your comfort zone and push workers outside of theirs
• Take initiative to develop your own leadership to complete your goals and expectations
• Be responsible and dependable
• Previous experience working in construction highly desired
• A valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle to be able to access job sites  
• Written and spoken Spanish skills required. Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus. 
• Previous organizing experience is helpful but NOT necessary if you are motivated and willing to learn

Other Expectations

• Commitment to social, racial, and economic justice work as part of a multi-racial team
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Commit to a culture of vulnerability and loving challenge for both personal growth and the growth of the organization.
• Capable of working both independently and cooperatively
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, cope with change, and comfortably handle risk & uncertainty

Salary & Benefits

CTUL has a tiered salary range set by the Staff and Board based on the principles of economic justice and inclusion. This is a salaried position currently compensated at $56,843.66 per year with annual raises as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This full-time position will normally work 80 hours per pay period, including some work on evenings and weekends. Benefits include: 3 weeks paid vacation, unlimited sick days, 5 recuperation days, 19 paid holidays, 90% employer-paid medical and dental insurance for you and your immediate family, 100% employer-paid vision, life and disability insurance, and an annual end of year bonus of 5% of your annual salary which can be used towards a retirement fund. 

This position is covered under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement with the Minnesota Newspaper & Communication Guild, TNG-CWA Local 37002.

How to apply: 

Send resume and cover letter to [email protected] using the subject line: Construction Organizer. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will be opened until filled. CTUL is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color as well as persons with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, women, immigrants, folks from working class backgrounds, and formerly incarcerated people.