Regional Director

SUMMARY

Under the specific direction of the President of Ohio Council 8 and in the context of the Council's vision and culture statements, engages in various activities that mobilize, organize, represent, and educate the Council's local union affiliates, local union leadership, and local union membership and to build the union. Supervises and manages staff representatives and clerical staff. Also performs other related duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Assess local union leadership/membership readiness (ability and willingness) to use member mobilization and participation strategies. Develop action plans to build the capacity of local unions to achieve a high level of member participation, develop collaborative and cooperative relationships, bargain good contracts, solve workplace problems, develop and apply political leverage, develop leadership, develop sensitivity to and engagement in issues important to the community. Implement plans to train leaders and members to be mobilizers. Motivates local unions to use member mobilization and participation strategies. Examples of these strategies include: contract campaigns/member driven negotiations; interest-based bargaining; quality partnerships and other types of labor-management relationships that require worker voice; rank and file activist networks; grass roots political action programs; action-oriented communication tools such as phone trees, e-mail lists, and newsletters. Evaluate progress made in building these capacities and adjust action plan accordingly. Supervises and manages staff representatives engaged in this work.

• In partnership with local union leaders, develop and use strategies that encourage member participation in collective bargaining, in workplace problem solving, in political action, in community participation, and to develop mobilization tools such as phone trees. Identify, educate, develop, activate and honor activists.
• Mobilize local union leaders to actively participate in the representation of their union.
• Bargain to Organize – Develop and implement collective bargaining proposals that provide opportunities for members to participate in organizing activities of the union. Examples of these proposals include bargaining to organize language and union release time.
• In partnership with local union leadership, develop and implement plans to increase member participation. Examples of these plans include work place and community actions such as petitions, rallies, union tables, walk-throughs and work place problem solving, and the development of local union action teams to assist in job actions, organizing, public relations, community action and political activity.
• In partnership with local union leadership, develops and facilitates internal organizing program for the local union. Initiates, assists and supports local union internal organizing campaigns. Participates in ongoing organizing campaigns.
• Supervises and manages staff representative engaged in conducting internal and external organizing campaigns. Develops organizing targets in their geographic region in conjunction with the Organizing department.
• Recruits local union members to work as volunteer organizers. Engages in strategic political and community activity that will enhance organizing opportunities. Works collaboratively with the organizing department and other regions to implement Council-wide organizing program. Develop and implement collective bargaining proposals that provide opportunities for the union to obtain recognition as the employee representative of bargaining units. Examples of “bargaining to organize” include employer agreements to extend voluntary recognition and recognition on the basis of card check. Supervises and manages staff representatives engaged in this work.
• Uses professional judgement to develop, in partnership with local union leadership, strategies to effectively resolve workplace issues. Examples of these strategies include filing a grievance, IBB, LM committee, arbitration, or workplace action, applying external leverage, community coalitions.
• Mentors local union leadership to build local union capacity to resolve work place disputes on the job rather than process problems through grievance procedure. Incorporates into collective bargaining agreements labor management committees and grievance mediation processes that are leader/member driven rather than staff. Prepare, encourage, and move local unions to IBB and other cooperative L/M approaches.
• Conducts grievance mediation and arbitration reviews with local union leadership and the staff representative. Determines if grievances have sufficient merit to warrant arbitration Prepares for and participates in meetings with the employer or employer representatives on grievances and other problems affecting local union members. Prepares and presents grievances in arbitration hearings. Supervises and manages staff representatives in this work.        
• Provides prompt and appropriate responses, including advice and guidance, with respect to questions and concerns of local union leadership and membership regarding union related issues or problems. Using all available resources, conducts proposal and negotiation research to support bargaining and problem-resolution through labor-management committees and other activist strategies.
• In partnership with local union leadership and staff representatives, prepare proposals for new and successor agreements that meet the policy standards of the Council and that address the issues of concern to the local union’s members. Supervises staff representatives in crafting and presenting proposals to employers and directs staff in negotiations, mediation and fact finding. In partnership with local union leadership, prepares for and participates in contract negotiations between local unions and employers, including interest-based bargaining, mediation, fact-finding and conciliation, as appropriate. Engages in effective resource utilization, sets task priorities, applies critical thinking skills.
• Prepares for and participates in various administrative hearings conducted by local government and/or state agencies, e.g., civil service, and other employment and/or labor related hearings. Represents the union before various legislative bodies such as City Council, City Council committees, Boards of Education and Boards of County Commissioners. May serve as a member of committees, boards and commissions, as assigned. Supervises and manages staff representatives engaged in this work.
• Assess local union leadership capabilities in areas such as communication skills, problem solving skills, group dynamics, facilitation, motivational skills, representation skills such as implementation of collective bargaining agreement, local union governance, and grievance handling. Develop an action plan to increase these capabilities through the local union leadership education program. Mentors and develops capacity of local union leadership to partner with the Council in ways that effectively represents members. Supervises and manages staff representatives engaged in this work.
• Contributes to the development of a leader/member regional education plan which builds capacities and skill levels (i.e., facilitation, mediation, motivational, problem solving, member mobilization, and communication skills) as well as nuts and bolts training in organizing, negotiations, arbitration and the law. Presents education program modules in context of the Council’s region-based education program. Prepares for and conducts local union officer and steward training classes. Assess progress of leadership/membership development.
• Continuously mentors, coaches, and trains local union leadership to develop local union capacity using opportunities presented by daily interaction and work done together. Motivates local union leadership to work as a team, encourages open communication, full participation, on-going learning and staff development. Develops future leadership among local union leaders/members. Assists local union on matters covered by the local union constitution, Council constitution or International Union constitution. Attends local union executive board meetings and membership meetings. Supervises and manages staff representatives engaged in this work. Prepares various reports as required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervises and manages the regional staff and office. Is responsible for staff development and training and recommending administrative corrective action. Prepares various reports as required.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Must reside in the State of Ohio. As needed, must be able and willing to work long, irregular and unusual hours, including weekends and holidays.

QUALIFICATIONS 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university and/or five years of related experience as a union and/or employee representative or equivalent representation and management/supervisory experience.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, newsletters, leaflets and similar written material for dissemination, prepare grievance, ULP, and other fact sheets, prepare business correspondence, and write prehearing and post-heating arbitration briefs. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from our groups of local union officers, local union members, employer representatives, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs and other types of graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.  Ability to analyze and resolve complex problems. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Ability to plan work.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Must have a reliable vehicle, vehicle insurance and valid driver's license. Vehicle insurance must comply with Council 8 policy.

COMPUTER SKILLS

A knowledge of Internet software; Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Must be knowledgeable of Chapter 4117 of the Ohio Revised Code and the administrative rules and regulations related to it. Must be knowledgeable of National Labor Relations Act provisions as they pertain to organizing activity. Should be knowledgeable of National Labor Relations Board procedures. Must be knowledgeable of provisions of the Ohio Revised Code and the administrative rules and regulations related to the State Personnel Board of Review. Must be knowledgeable of the rules governing arbitration and other administrative proceedings. Must be knowledgeable of the civil service rules and regulations for all jurisdictions in the employee's servicing assignment which are governed all, or in part, by civil service.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY:

Non-bargaining, professional, exempt, managerial, supervisory. Employment at will.

Core Elements of Regional Director Role

MOBILIZE                       

• Identifies and motivates local unions to utilize membership mobilization strategies such as:
• Contract campaigns/membership driven negotiations, Mobilization Committees and Political Action Activist Committees.
• Directs staff to review and amend collective bargaining agreements to incorporate provision that enhance the ability of the union (Council and local) to organize and mobilize, union release time, union leave employee contact information, orientation, on-site meetings, access, and neutrality.
• Assists local unions in increasing membership participation by encouraging workplace-oriented activity.
• Strategic grievance handling – problem solving and backup processing.
• Develops action teams across the region to assist in job actions, organizing, public relations, community action and political activity. Member contact strategies. Activist networks. Utilizes regional vice presidents in mobilization efforts.
• Develops assessment tools to track growth of local union capacity and capacity of its leadership to partner with the Council 8 its mission to organize, mobilize and represent AFSCME members. Develops strategy to improve capacity based on results of assessment.

ORGANIZE

• Develops and maintains strategic organizing plan for region. Manages and/or conducts ongoing organizing campaigns. In collaboration with the organizing department, utilizes opportunities presented by organizing activity in the region to develop staff organizing capacity. Recruits organizing volunteers from leadership and membership.
• Develops volunteer organizers in partnership with the OR department and the Council’s program. Engages in strategic political and community activity that will enhance organizing opportunities. Initiates, assists and supports local union internal organizing campaigns.
• Utilizes regional vice presidents in organizing efforts. Works collaboratively with the organizing department and other regions to enhance Council wide organizing program. Develops assessment tools to track progress and effectiveness of organizing campaigns and staff development.

Any qualified candidate who is interested in applying for this position should submit a resume and a writing sample to the attention of: R. Sean Grayson, President, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, 6800 N High Street, Worthington, Ohio 43085 or submit by email to kmcloughlin@afscme8.org