AFL-CIO Organizing Institute

The Organizing Institute is a paid training and job placement program that matches talented people with unions expanding their organizing programs. The Organizing Institute is an intensive and selective program that trains people who are interested in fighting for social and economic equality to become union organizers. The Organizing Institute training program consists of a 3-day classroom training followed by a paid, hands-on field training and job placement with and AFL-CIO affiliate union. The OI provides the highest standards for applicants participating in the OI program while giving them a look at a variety of unions to best match the participants' talents and skill with the needs of a particular union. Upon completion of the OI program, and once offered a position by a union, starting salaries range from $35000-$40000 annually plus excellent benefits.

Qualifications include: commitment and dedication to building the labor movement; energy and enthusiasm; leadership ability; communication skills; ability to travel and relocate if necessary. People of Color, bilingual, applicants and women are encouraged to apply.

The AFL-CIO Organizing Institute also offers the Union Summer Internship Program. Union Summer is an exciting 9- week educational experience in which participants develop skills while working on union organizing campaigns. Union Summer will be looking to recruit dozens of activists from college and university campuses from across the country to work on some of the most exciting union organizing drives in decades!

The work of Union Summer Interns could include visiting workers in their homes to find out what workers would like to change about their jobs, participating in direct actions such as organizing picket lines and marches, as well as assisting in building coalitions among community, labor and religious organizations to support active organizing campaigns. Union Summer interns will play a very integral role to building support for workers in their fight to gain a voice in their workplaces.

Union Summer is looking to recruit students with a strong commitment to social and economic justice as well as an openness to working with people of various races, ethnicities, sexual and religious orientations. Applicants should be energetic, have solid leadership and communication skills, and must be flexible to working long and irregular hours. We are accepting applications from rising juniors, rising seniors as well as graudating seniors. Women and People of Color are encouraged to apply.

Union Summer interns will receive a stipend of $350 per week (less taxes) to cover meals and other incidental expenses. Applicants MUST live in the city/have housing where Union Summer sites are designated for 2013. For more information, contact us at 888.835.8557 or visit us at www.aflcio.org/unionsummer.