Who are we?

AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) Local 3299 is a dynamic labor union, with a rank and file progressive leadership, dedicated to fighting for workers’ rights and a strong, militant labor movement. Local 3299 is made up of more than 23,000 University of California workers at the ten campuses and five medical centers. We are custodians, food service workers, cooks, bus drivers, licensed vocational nurses, nursing assistants, medical assistants as well as respiratory therapists, radiology and operating room techs and others. We are a democratic, member-driven union that believes in helping our coworkers learn how to use collective action to improve their lives and build power in the workplace and in the world.

Local 3299 Organizing Internship

In our last contract victory and our continued organizing, AFSCME 3299 has fought for dignity and equity for UC workers as well as accessible quality public higher education. In addition to enforcing our contract and protecting members’ rights at work, AFSCME 3299 members are linking with students and faculty to defend services and standards for public education throughout the UC. We are currently engaged in an effort to improve the lives of even more UC workers by urging the UC system to insource all of its contracted out employees. This would ensure that thousands of workers across the UC system would receive improved wages and benefits and be free from the wage theft, sexual harassment, child labor, and failure to pay overtime that have been discovered at numerous UC contractors.

AFSCME Local 3299 is seeking undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in organizing both students and workers in our shared struggle for justice at the UC. This internship offers students the opportunity to hone their skills alongside working people who are struggling for positive change. The AFSCME Local 3299 interns will be asked to take on significant organizing challenges to build progressive working class power at UC. Interns will gain valuable experience that will prepare them for seeking future roles as union, political, or community organizers.

Intern Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Meet (or call) weekly with Organizers, Lead, or Coordinator to develop plans and priorities to build student and worker organization behind our current legislative fights, contract campaign and insourcing campaigns
• Work to build a student-labor solidarity organization on your campus
• Develop and implement outreach to students, faculty, and the community
• Assist with member and/or contract worker organizing through worksite visits, house visits, and phone calls
• Help plan, coordinate, publicize, and run creative and escalating actions including pickets, rallies and other direct actions
• Attend student-worker coalition meetings; collect petitions, turnout students, etc.
• Attend member meetings, MAT Leader meetings, and/or contract worker committee meetings
• Assist with data entry

Desired Qualifications

• Strong commitment to social and economic justice and building power for workers
• Ability to listen and communicate effectively with diverse groups of workers, students and faculty
• Ability to work collaboratively with union staff, members, and other student activists

Leadership skills

• Independent, strategic and creative
• Experience planning and publicizing events a plus
• Bilingual English/Spanish, English/Cantonese or English/Lao a plus

Compensation

We have paid and unpaid internships available.

PAID:

Paid interns are expected to meet regularly with the AFSCME staff on campus and participate in all set goals and activities in order to successfully complete their internship.

Semester/Quarter Internships – Fall, Winter, and Spring

Paid interns earn a taxed stipend of $300/month. Paid interns are expected to meet regularly with the AFSCME staff on campus and participate in all set goals and activities in order to successfully complete their internship.

UNPAID:

Unpaid internships are available and work within the AFSCME 3299 intern program on each campus. Unpaid interns seeking educational credit or references must meet the same expectations (hours, assignments) as paid interns.

AFSCME’s members are as diverse as California. As an organization we are committed to reflecting the diversity of our membership. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome all applicants.

Send resumes and completed applications to: internapps@afscme3299.org and the campus organizer designated on the application.

For any additional questions, contact the AFSCME 3299 Oakland Headquarters at (510) 844-1160, or internapps@afscme3299.org.