Senior Labor Bargaining Advocate

This position is responsible for providing assistance to affiliates during negotiations and impasse resolution proceedings, including performing a wide variety of analyses involving employer finances, compensation surveys, workplace issues and other collective bargaining topics.

Duties:

• Leads negotiations for first or successor collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding and letters of agreement, or serves in an advisory capacity during negotiations.
• Prepares and presents proposals, articles, exhibits, arguments and counterarguments and information summaries.
• Analyzes employer finances to determine employer’s fiscal condition and ability to pay for employee compensation proposals.
• Prepares justifications for economic bargaining proposals including wage and benefit comparisons and other analyses. Documents analysis and recommendations and prepares appropriate exhibits.
• Analyzes health and pension plan documents and actuarial reports in order to evaluate employee benefit proposals and develop responses to employers, policy makers, and union leaders, staff and members.
• Conducts in-depth research and studies upon request of affiliate and AFSCME staff. May involve developing new resource materials.
• May be asked to prepare and present testimony before impasse proceedings, governmental bodies, union audiences, allied organizations and news media.
• Prepares materials for and conducts briefings and workshops at affiliate meetings and conferences covering key issues.
• Serves as an expert on one or more issue areas or occupational sectors for affiliates and International Union staff. Researches issues and tracks collective bargaining, legislative and regulatory action on issues.
• Writes occasional articles, manuals, and fact sheets on various areas of concentration.

Requirements:

Education and Experience

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university, advanced degree desirable with course work in, depending on specific duties, economics, employee benefits or labor relations and a minimum of seven (7) years of related work experience or any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the following knowledge, skills and abilities.

Skills Requirements:

• Thorough knowledge of labor unions and organizing.
• Thorough and advanced knowledge of economic principles.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience in collective bargaining.
• Thorough knowledge of health and retirement benefit issues.
• Ability to analyze, formulate plans, and develop solutions.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to conduct sound research and make logical conclusions.
• Ability to formulate program strategies and respond to formal information requests.
• Ability to lead projects.
• Ability to develop curriculum and present effective training seminars.

Travel & Work hours 

• Travel and extended work hours to include weekends are required.