General Description
Region 3 serves a large and diverse area spanning Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Inyo and Mono counties, and portions of Kern and San Bernardino counties, supporting approximately 200 CTA local union chapters. Frequent travel throughout the region is a regular and essential function of this position.
The Organizer is a field-based position responsible for building member power and strengthening local chapters through strategic organizing, with a primary focus on bargaining and campaigns. Working with CTA staff, leaders, and members, the Organizer helps local union chapters develop and execute comprehensive contract campaigns that engage members, develop leaders, build workplace organization, and advance bargaining goals.
Using a site-based organizing approach, the Organizer supports staff and chapters in identifying issues, assessing member support, recruiting and developing leaders, building organizing structures, and mobilizing collective action. The position also supports membership growth, representational elections, contract enforcement, school funding advocacy, and other CTA priorities when aligned with building local power.
The successful candidate demonstrates strong organizing and campaign skills, a commitment to the labor movement and public education, and the ability to coach leaders and members through high-pressure campaign environments. As a member of the Region 3 team, the Organizer advances improved working and learning conditions through organizing, bargaining support, leadership development, and collective action.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Serve as an organizer, coach, and strategic advisor to CTA chapters, leaders, and members.
- Lead and support bargaining-centered organizing campaigns, including member engagement, worksite organizing, escalation planning, collective action and other campaign activities.
- Partner with leaders and staff to develop and implement strategic campaign plans with clear goals, timelines, benchmarks, and accountability.
- Build and strengthen worksite organizing structures, including organizing committees, contract action teams, site representatives, and member leader networks.
- Conduct worksite mapping, charting, leadership identification, power analysis, and member outreach to increase participation and engagement.
- Support campaigns through surveys, member meetings, communications, actions, turnout programs, campaign coordination, and other campaign activities.
- Recruit, train, and develop member leaders capable of sustaining chapter organizing and bargaining efforts.
- Coach leaders and activists on organizing and campaign skills such as organizing conversations, campaign strategy, leadership development, and collective action.
- Analyze workplace, district, and community conditions to identify opportunities to build power and achieve campaign goals.
- Coordinate with the Regional Manager, Primary Contact Staff, other regional staff, and statewide teams to align local campaigns with CTA priorities.
- Support and drive membership growth, representational elections, contract enforcement/issue organizing, and other strategic organizing initiatives.
- Help develop community and coalition engagement strategies that strengthen bargaining and organizing campaigns.
- Maintain campaign records, data systems, and reporting tools to track progress and evaluate outcomes.
- Provide support during high-priority campaigns, strikes, organizing drives, crisis situations, and other urgent chapter and union program needs.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director or designee.
Qualifications - Minimum Required
- Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience in labor organizing, high-participation bargaining campaigns, member engagement, collective bargaining support, community organizing, or related campaign work.
- Demonstrated success in planning and executing organizing campaigns that build participation, leadership, and collective action.
- Strong organizing skills, including one-on-one conversations, leader identification and development, worksite mapping, recruitment, turnout, and campaign escalation.
- Experience supporting bargaining campaigns, contract action teams, negotiations-related organizing, or labor campaigns.
- Ability to coach, train, and develop leaders and activists.
- Strong understanding of labor unions, collective bargaining, and issues affecting public education employees.
- Ability to assess organizing conditions, develop strategy, and adjust tactics to meet campaign objectives.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced campaign environments.
- Demonstrated commitment to workers' rights, public education, and racial, social, and economic justice.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, organizing databases, communication platforms, and campaign technology tools.
- Ability to work evenings, weekends, and travel regularly throughout the region. Statewide and other travel may also be needed based on campaign and union program needs.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a valid California driver's license.
- This position is in a bargaining unit represented by CSO. Salaries are established by a collective bargaining agreement. Step placement is also determined by the CTA/CSO Agreement.