Southern organizing trainings and apprenticeships available
Organizing Institute coming to New Orleans / Atlanta in December /January
AFL-CIO's Organizing Institute (O.I.) has opportunities for union organizer training and apprenticeships in the South with two upcoming 3-day sessions - one in New Orleans in December and the other in Atlanta in January. The deadline to apply for New Orleans is Dec. 1 and for Atlanta is Dec. 15. Apply online at www.aflcio.org/oi and click the ‘non-members’ link (if you're not already a union member).
What: O.I. trainings for would be union organizers
Where: New Orleans and Atlanta
When: Dec. 1 deadline to apply for Dec. 11–13, 2015 in New Orleans; Dec. 15 deadline to apply for Jan. 22–24, 2016 in Atlanta
Apply: Union members click here. Non-union members click here.
Click here to download the two-page flyer (PDF).
From the email announcement:
The AFL-CIO Organizing Institute (OI) runs a highly selective, classroom and paid field training program to match talented individuals from a variety of backgrounds who want to be union organizers with unions looking to expand their organizing programs and with worker centers or others who want to provide new or additional training to members/workers. Organizing Institute training gives an intensive look at the work of a union organizer. Participants learn one-on-one communication skills, leadership identification and development, as well as campaign and strategic planning skills. Trainees who successfully complete the field training portion of the program are recommended by the Organizing Institute to be hired by local and national unions. Annual starting salaries range from $35,000 to $50,000 with excellent benefits.
There's an immediate opportunity to apply for the 3-day OI training where successful applicants will take this training and then become eligible to enter a 3-month apprenticeship with the UAW (United Autoworkers) in either AL or MS organizing auto parts workers. The apprenticeship comes with a weekly $600 stipend, individual health benefits, a car (or car allowance if you have a car to use), and expenses (meals, lodging). Once the apprenticeship ends, you will have the skills to be part of a placement program that will either provide full-time work with the UAW or with other unions hiring organizers.
This is a great opportunity for worker centers with staff or leaders who would benefit from the 3-day OI training who could also go on to the 3-month paid field apprenticeship. The apprenticeship would make organizers eligible to be hired as union organizers by unions - and/or continue leading the work in their own union/organization/worker center.
Grab the two-page flyer for upcoming organizer trainings in the South (PDF).