Overview
Immigrant Rights Empowerment Program: The Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (IRE) program connects with day laborers and low-wage workers to effect change and transformation. It focuses on access to economic opportunities, education of immigrant rights and worker protections, and fosters an environment of collective power and belonging. Additionally, the IRE program fosters community through the Oakland Workers’ Collective. The Oakland Workers’ Collective (OWC) is a worker-driven collective committed to using a popular education model to inform workers about their rights, create a safe space for skill building, and support day laborers in connecting with employers as a vehicle for economic self-sufficiency.
Position Summary:
This in-person position will work closely with the day laborer and low-wage worker community in Oakland. The Worker Rights organizer is responsible for the following activities in collaboration with the IRE team:
- fostering relationships with hundreds of day laborers at the six day laborer stops
- conducting outreach and education
- participating in various coalitions
- managing foster existing partner relationships
- fostering new partnerships.
Workers’ Rights Outreach and Organizing
- Lead tailored outreach and organizing efforts to reach day laborers, low-wage, and undocumented workers.
- Work with SLHP teams and partner agencies to identify and provide up-to-date resources and services for workers related to topics such as workers’ rights, health, and safety
- Create and implement popular education materials about workers’ rights and health and safety topics to be broadly distributed to relevant communities
- Support conflict resolution between day laborers and employers to ensure positive placements, repeat clients, and support conflict resolution for any other issues that may arise
- Develop and support mobilizing efforts for workplace rights and safety, engage in policy advocacy, and support with other issues impacting day laborers at the local, state, and national levels.
- Provide assistance to day laborers and low-wage workers in wage recovery, including:
- Receiving wage theft referrals from SLHP hotline
- Recording information and narratives about the workers’ experiences
- Performing basic math calculations about how much a worker is owed;
- Educating workers and supporting them in taking initial steps (demand calls/letters) to recover wages;
- Working with partners to connect workers to legal support.
- Participating in weekly outreach planning and debriefing meetings
- Assist program manager and program staff in co-facilitating day labor member meetings
- Support program outreach strategy and facilitate street outreach program
- General support of worker members’ activities within the Oakland Workers Collective
- Assist with job referral hotline as needed
Coalition Building and Partnerships
- Attend and participate in various coalitions and partnerships that support programmatic goals and the organization’s mission and vision.
- Foster relationships with partner organizations through coordination of monthly joint outreach efforts and effective, collaborative communication to ensure the goals and objectives of relevant grants are being met.
Program Support
- Document weekly outreach activities and wage theft cases in the database.
- Help track data, activities, material, and other information as needed for grant purposes.
- Support the IRE manager in preparing quarterly reports and other reports pertaining to this work plan as needed
- Participate in IRE team meetings and any other meetings related to program activities
Organizational Support
Provide organizational support by attending and participating in staff meetings and retreats, collaborating on decision-making, coordinating weekly department meetings, and collaborating with other program managers, staff, and leadership as needed.
Required Skills and Qualifications:
- This position requires bilingual fluency in Spanish and English, with strong oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to work, communicate and connect with hundreds of day laborers and workers with various backgrounds and literacy levels.
- Ability to work independently in a dynamic environment that is ever changing
- Ability to work, connect and communicate with hundreds of people at one time from various backgrounds and cultures
- Knowledge of popular education models is a plus
- Proficient in Google Workplace, Microsoft Office, and basic computer skills.
- High level of self-direction, with an ability to complete competing tasks effectively and in a timely manner.
- Must be flexible, adaptable with a team oriented approach and a desire to work collaboratively with team members and other programs.
- Strong communication skills: including facilitation, mediation and conflict resolution.
- Must be able to work in a non-traditional work environment with a large quantity of community members and multitask in an independent fashion.
- Flexibility and willingness to work irregular hours (some evenings, some weekends, depending on the demands of the work)
- A valid California driver’s license with a good driving record.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, integrity, and a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstance, immigration status, and record of arrest or conviction.
Skills and Experience Preferred:
- Knowledge of current events and issues affecting day laborers and newly arrived communities.
- Have knowledge of local organizations to aid in the recruitment of volunteers.
- Trilingual Mam, Spanish and English is a plus.
- Experience in Microsoft Excel, SPSS, EMR systems and Salesforce is highly desired.
- Experience with data management, analysis and collection.
- Experience with community engagement, building and support.
- Experience advocating and providing services to communities with limited literacy in Spanish and English, low-income, undocumented immigrants and communities impacted by trauma and/or substance abuse.
- Experience with recruitment and outreach in a wide variety of settings: schools, community events, churches/faith communities and health systems.
- Knowledge of Alameda County resources, community organizations, and health systems.
- Knowledge of local county, state and national immigration systems.